A criminal mastermind who orchestrated a people-smuggling operation using London taxi drivers has been sentenced to over a decade in prison. Madjid Belabes, 53, profited massively from the scheme while paying drivers as little as £25 per person to transport migrants.
The Mechanics of a Smuggling Network
Between December 2022 and September 2023, Belabes organised the illegal transportation of people on 26 separate occasions. His method involved hiring a team of drivers, many of whom were current or former taxi drivers, to collect migrants in London.
The drivers would then take their passengers to pre-arranged lay-bys in Kent. There, the migrants were transferred into lorries to attempt the clandestine crossing into France. Prosecutors said Belabes liked to "get his hands dirty" and was often involved in gathering migrants and driving them himself.
In one specific incident in February 2023, a group of 58 migrants from Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, who had entered the UK legally on visitor visas, managed to reach France before being discovered.
Vast Profits and Paltry Payments
While Belabes pocketed approximately £287,000 from the criminal enterprise, the drivers he employed received a fraction of that sum. The court heard stark disparities in payments:
- Belabes claimed he was paid £150-£180 per trip.
- Driver Said Bouazza, used once, was paid £70.
- Mohamed Mabrouk, who made eight trips, also received £70 per journey.
- Samir Zerguine said he was paid just £25-£40 per person for his 14 trips.
Belabes's choice of drivers was strategic; taxi drivers would have a credible excuse for carrying multiple passengers if stopped by police.
Justice Served and a Warning to Gangs
Following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), which examined phone records linking the drivers to Belabes, the ring was dismantled. Three days into his trial at Kingston Crown Court, Belabes pleaded guilty.
He was sentenced to 10 years and nine months in prison, with the sentence also covering possession of over £11,000 in criminal cash. The Crown Prosecution Service stated it intends to recover as much money as possible from him.
Four of the five drivers, all Algerian nationals, also admitted their roles. They are:
- Samir Zerguine, 52
- Mourad Bouchlaghem, 44
- Mohamed Mabrouk, 44
- Mohamed Issaoun, 49
The fifth driver, 55-year-old Said Bouazza, was found guilty by a jury. All five drivers will be sentenced on 23 January 2026.
Andrew Hudson, a Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS, emphasised the seriousness of the crime: "Fighting migration crime is not only about prosecuting illegal entry to the UK but also going after those who make money from smuggling people to neighbouring countries... The sentence given today shows how seriously our justice system takes this offending."
NCA senior investigating officer John Turner condemned the network's actions: "These criminal networks treat human beings like commodities. Belabes didn’t care about the potentially fatal dangers facing migrants hidden in lorry trailers." He confirmed that tackling organised immigration crime remains a key priority for the agency.
