A MAN has appeared in court in Belfast suspected of attempting to smuggle four people across the Irish border with the intention of travelling to England.
Abad Ulla Alimi, a 25-year-old Afghan man, was arrested at Grand Central Station in Belfast this week after arriving by train from Dublin with four other Afghan nationals.
On Thursday, he was charged with assisting unlawful immigration and appeared at Belfast Magistrates' Court the following day.
Mr Alimi was remanded into custody to appear before the court again via video link on December 19.
According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), Mr Alimi was identified by Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers as being a suspected facilitator when he arrived at Grand Central Station on Wednesday.
He had travelling with a couple and their two young children, who were all believed to be trying to enter Britain illegally via the Common Travel Area.
They had travelled from France to Ireland before taking a train from Dublin to Belfast, where it is believed they were intending to travel onwards to England.
Mr Alimi was taken into custody, where he was questioned by NCA officers and subsequently charged.
The people he was travelling with were handed to the immigration authorities.
"Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA and this investigation is one of around 100 ongoing investigations into networks or individuals in the top tier of this criminality," said NCA Belfast Branch Commander David Cunningham.
"We are working closely with our partners to stop the Common Travel Area from being exploited by people who may believe this is an easier way to enter the UK and will take action wherever possible.
"Our investigation is ongoing."
