Car wash workers deny running people smuggling operation

The court heard that the operation was organised from the Fast Track Hand Car Wash in Caerphilly

Two men accused of running a people smuggling operation from a car wash have denied the claims and said they ran a "legitimate" business.

Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Ali Khdir, 40, from Caerphilly, are accused of moving hundreds of people in cars, lorries and boats to the UK from Iraq, Iran and Syria from their base in Caerphilly.

Representing Mr Shamo, Tim Forte said his client did not accept being part of any conspiracy and said he would argue that evidence was "not material he recognises".

He said many of the phone contacts in the Middle East, highlighted in evidence, were Mr Shamo’s family.

Representing Mr Khdir, Grahame James said his client was granted leave to stay in the UK in 2009 and had been a British citizen since 2011.

He said the two defendants were partners running a “legitimate car wash” in Caerphilly and Mr Khdir denied being part of any conspiracy.

He said Mr Khdir believed others must have had access to one of his phones and he also denied being involved in any money transfers.

The jury has already heard the opening of the prosecution’s case, that between September 2022 and April 2023, a people smuggling operation was organised from the Fast Track Hand Car Wash in Caerphilly, owned and operated by the pair.

Most of those trafficked came from Iraq, Iran and Syria, and were charged money "equating to several thousands of pounds", the court heard.

Mr Shamo, born in Iraq, and Mr Khdir, originally from Iran, but whose addresses were previously given as Caerphilly, both deny five counts of conspiring to breach migration laws in Italy, Romania, Croatia and Germany to bring people into European Union (EU) countries.

The trial is expected to last up to four weeks.