Two Vietnamese nationals have been jailed after they used Facebook to assist at least 250 people to unlawfully come into the country.
Hop Nguyen, 36, and Hoang Nguyen, 25, both arrived in the UK illegally in 2023, before facilitating illegal crossings from France for less than £3,000 per person.
The pair also helped migrants to disperse and disappear into the Vietnamese community after claiming asylum, even in instances where migrants were intercepted by UK authorities.
It is not clear how many people paid for the journey, but ledgers recovered from their homes in Leicester and south London showed payments against 250 names.
Officers from the National Crime Agency found £8,147 in cash at the Croydon home of Hoang Nguyen upon her arrest, but it is understood they could have made as much as £750,000 between January 2023 and April 2024 for these crossings.
Adverts seen on Facebook read: “Brothers, sisters who have family members of friends, are currently in Europe, want to go to 44(UK) contact me please! Fast, Convenient – Prestigious. Price only >3xxx.”
The ads also included a number to Zalo, a Vietnamese instant messaging app, where it is believed illegal migrants could make arrangements and agree costs.
They were arrested in April 2024 and prosecuted by the CPS shortly after. Both pleaded guilty.
They are not related, but share the same surname.
Hop Nguyen was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment while Hoang Nguyen was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison at Croydon Crown Court on Monday. Both will be subject to deportation upon release.
Hoang Nguyen’s partner, with whom she shared a home, is currently awaiting extradition to France.
Hilary Ryan, Specialist Prosecutor, from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The prison sentences handed down today are the latest in a series of prosecutions of criminals bringing Vietnamese migrants illegally into the UK.
“Hop Nguyen and Hoang Nguyen advertised on Facebook and then arranged illegal travel as part of an international organised crime network trying to undermine UK borders.
“Their operation was sophisticated and they stood to make hundreds of thousands of pounds and today’s sentence reflects that.
“Prosecutors in the CPS continue to work with the National Crime Agency and others to disrupt these gangs and put them out of business.”
