A key member of an international people smuggling network involved in illegal migrant crossings to the UK has been jailed for more than 10 years.
National Crime Agency officers arrested Iraqi national Ramal Briem, 33, at his home address in Wolverhampton in July 2024.
Messages on his phone showed he and another gang member, known as ‘Kevin’, had discussed the movement of ‘chickens’ or people waiting for illegal crossings in northern France. Briem is understood to have helped hundreds of migrants make such journeys to the UK.
‘Kevin’ was one of four crime group members arrested by the NCA in April 2024 and is undergoing extradition proceedings as he is wanted in France. The other three were charged in the UK.
In one exchange, the pair discuss fees for transporting migrants after which they agree on a fee of 11 for the price of 10.
‘Kevin’: If possible, 1 chicken costs 1,500 pounds. I'll give it all to you
Briem: Yes 1500. Give it to me
‘Kevin’: Ok I'll give you the chicken. Currently I have over 30 chickens in Dunkerque. I need them to finish this time. And next time I have a new chicken I will give it to you.
Briem: Ok. Next time I need all your chicken.
Briem himself helped to arrange the transportation of six migrants to Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, in March 2024.
Staffordshire Police, who dealt with the incident, arrested one person but the remainder fled.
Investigations showed that Briem’s phone contacted a French number, which was previously located in France. That same number attempted to contact Briem when the Netherlands-registered lorry involved in the Staffordshire incident was intercepted.
Briem admitted coming to the UK illegally by small boat in late 2020, after which he claimed asylum and found himself struggling financially.
He said he had met ‘Kevin’, who showed an interest in how he came to the UK as he wanted to bring some relatives over from Germany.
Briem also admitted visiting a number of addresses in Croydon and Birmingham to collect large sums of cash which he later gave to an unknown man in a car.
On one occasion, he claims to have collected a total of £16,000 (consisting of separate amounts of £9,000 and £7,000) from ‘Kevin’ at an address in Croydon, which he was told related to cigarettes. He said that he delivered the cash to another person as instructed, and was paid £300 and £350 in return. The prosecution case was that this money related to his people smuggling activities and not cigarettes.
Briem pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration at Wolverhampton Crown Court in October 2024. He was sentenced to 10 years and two months imprisonment at Worcester Crown Court today (26 March).
NCA branch commander Saju Sasikumar said: “The language Ramal Briem used to describe people illustrates his complete disregard for human life.
“To him, migrants were nothing more than a commodity to trade in, regardless of the severe risks they were taking during these dangerous journeys, all for his own financial benefit.
“The migrants themselves may have wanted to come to the UK to establish a better life for themselves and their families. But the fact they chose to use smugglers like Briem to enter the UK clandestinely automatically put them at a far greater risk of being embroiled in debt bondage or modern slavery situations.
“The NCA will continue to work with partners both internationally and domestically, including the CPS, to bring criminals like Ramal Briem to justice and disrupt the organised crime groups behind this evil trade.”
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, said: “We are cracking down on the vile smugglers abusing UK borders.
“Thanks to the brilliant work of our National Crime Agency officers, a key member of an international smuggling network has been jailed and is facing 10 years behind bars.
"This government is bolstering law enforcement powers so officers can intercept, detain and arrest people smugglers faster and restore order and control to our borders."
Hilary Ryan, Specialist Prosecutor, from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Ramal Briem was part of an international crime group working across Europe to illegally bring migrants into the UK. He offered to arrange spaces on small boats for other organised crime groups.
“My colleagues and I are working around the clock with law enforcement to prosecute those who break our immigration laws and harm community relations to make money for themselves.”
The NCA is currently leading approximately 100 ongoing investigations into networks or individuals in the top tier of organised immigration crime or human trafficking, those inflicting the highest harm, and who are the most difficult to reach. Some of these sit right at the top of the NCA’s priority list.The NCA targets and disrupts organised crime groups at every step of the route, in source countries, in transit countries, near the UK border in France and Belgium, and those operating inside the UK itself.
26 March 2026
