Cash Kingpin Behind Deadly People Smuggling Ring Busted in East Ham
Unregistered Money Business Fuels People Smuggling
Asghar Gheshalghian, 48, ran a shady cash operation from a nondescript office in East Ham. The National Crime Agency (NCA) cracked down after a two-year probe uncovered his illegal money services business that helped fund dangerous Channel crossings.
Phone taps revealed Gheshalghian’s links to at least eight Iranian migrants who later arrived in the UK by boat or lorry, seeking asylum.
£1.6 Million Laundered for Organised Crime Gangs
NCA raids seized around £50,000 in cash plus ledgers detailing suspicious transactions. Financial experts traced £1.6 million funnelled through Gheshalghian’s bank accounts. Covert recordings caught him admitting 70-80% of his dealings were tied to smuggling operations.
Crime Boss Funded Deadly Channel Crossings
“By his own admission Asghar Gheshalghian was trusted by organised crime gangs to handle their payments and launder the money they made through organising dangerous Channel boat and lorry crossings,” said NCA Branch Commander Mark Howes.
Howes added: “Crossing the Channel illegally in boats or lorries is extremely dangerous. We’ve sadly seen fatalities in recent weeks. Disrupting these gangs is a top priority.”
CPS Won’t Let People Smugglers Get Away
Michael Oatley, CPS Unit Head, said: “Gheshalghian knowingly ran an unregulated money service to help criminal gangs smuggle people into the UK illegally. People smugglers treat vulnerable migrants as commodities, risking lives for profit.”
“This prosecution sends a clear message: CPS and law enforcement will fight relentlessly to dismantle these ruthless networks.”
