Five men charged with alleged involvement in plot to bring people into the UK illegally

Five men have appeared in court over an alleged Swansea-based operation to help migrants enter the UK.

The defendants face multiple allegations of jointly facilitating the illegal entry or the attempted entry of asylum seekers into the UK between April 2018 and January 2020. The offences are said to have happened in Swansea, at other locations in Wales, and "locations outside England and Wales".

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Ashkan Elaeyzad, aged 31 of Iowerth Street, Manselton, Swansea; Smerdi Hakhamensh, aged 27, of Phoebe Road, Copper Quarter, Swansea; Mohammad Ahmadi Khatir, aged 32, of Phoebe Road, Copper Quarter, Swansea; Kaveh Nazani, aged 26, whose address was given as Parc Prison in Bridgend; and 39-year-old Seyed Medhi Dehghan Hangeroudi, of Boileau Parade, Ealing, London, faced charges under section 25 of the Immigration Act 1971 when they appeared at Swansea Magistrates Court.

No pleas were indicated to the charges, and the matter was committed to Swansea Crown Court. The defendants were released on bail to appear before a judge on May 30.

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