Lorry driver jailed for smuggling migrants through Sussex

Romanian national Marinel Danut Palage was a key member of an organised crime group convicted of bringing migrants illegally into the country.

The 31-year-old, who lives in Spain, would meet migrants in northern France before taking them in the back of his lorry onto a ferry to Portsmouth.

They would then be driven to an industrial estate near Chichester, where the migrants would be met by drivers to take them to other parts of the UK.

Palage took migrants in the back of his lorry on a ferry to Portsmouth, before driving to an industrial estate near Chichester (Image: National Crime Agency)

Bournemouth Crown Court heard that the operation was carried out at least three times, bringing up to 12 people illegally into the country.

Palage and four others were arrested in March 2019 on the third trip by officers following a four-year investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

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During a search of Palage’s cab, plastic bags containing £34,500 in cash, with further bundles of euros and sterling to the value of around £7,500 also discovered hidden away.

Palage was sentenced today to nine years in prison.

In sentencing Palage, Judge William Mousley said: “You performed the essential function of driving the immigrants across the border in your lorry.

“You had a clear organisational role in managing aspects of the enterprise. You expected, and received, large sums of money for your involvement.”

Palage has been jailed for nine years for smuggling migrants into the UK (Image: National Crime Agency)

The judge also said Palage had shown no remorse as he had gone on to carry out similar offences in Germany and had to be extradited to stand trial in Britain.

He ordered that Palage’s vehicle and the money found to be seized.

NCA branch commander Richard Harrison said: “This people smuggling group were content to put vulnerable migrants, including children, in the back of refrigerated lorries for hours on end during dangerous Channel crossings.

“It is clear from the evidence we found that their sole reason was for profit, without any regard to the migrants’ safety.”

Bundles of euros and sterling, valued at around £7,000, were hidden behind a panel in Palage's lorry (Image: National Crime Agency)

An NCA spokesman said that Palage was arrested following a surveillance operation on March 11, 2019, and his lorry was found to be carrying at least three people on that occasion.

The ringleader Goran Jalal, 37, from Bradford, remains wanted by the NCA having absconded following his arrest.