Man jailed for recruiting taxi drivers to smuggle people

Madjid Belabes, 53, has been sentenced to 10 years and nine months in prison for orchestrating a migrant smuggling operation involving taxi drivers. He hired five drivers to transport migrants from London to Kent, where they were loaded onto lorries bound for France, earning approximately £287,000 over at least 26 runs. Belabes pleaded guilty on October 29, 2023, while four drivers admitted participation, with sentencing for them set for January 23, 2026. All six men involved are Algerian nationals, and prosecutors aim to recover Belabes’ illicit profits.