News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 29 September 2009
The mastermind
behind a fake document scam which raked in hundreds of thousands
of pounds from immigrants seeking to stay in the UK has today been
jailed for four-and-half years after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.
Xiang Li, 29, of Stratford, London, who denied the charges, ran
two bogus law firms, issued fake passports and work permits, and
even staged a phoney citizenship ceremony where the unsuspecting
immigrants were greeted by actors playing the parts of officials
and local dignitaries against a backdrop of a picture of the Queen
and the Union flag.
The investigation, Operation Catalina, began when police officers
working at King George Docks in Humberside arrested a Chinese
national trying to enter the UK using what he believed to be a
legitimate UK passport.
Further inquiries by the UK Border Agency's Immigration
Crime Team led to two suspicious 'law firms'
based in and around various addressed on Lombard Street in central
London, called Lombard and Borough de Law, who advertised their
services in the Chinese language press.
Following operations on both firms, the team unearthed receipts
showing the companies had charged up to 50 individuals an average
of £20,000 for their services. It was also here that they
uncovered evidence of the meticulously planned bogus citizenship
ceremony that took place at the Methodist Hall in Westminster
close to the Houses of Parliament in December 2007. The gang were
also involved in issuing forged documents. This led to the arrest
of Xiang Li in January 2008.
Welcoming the verdict, Regional Director for the UK Border Agency
Jeremy Oppenheim said:
"Criminal gangs should be warned - we are putting an end
to scams like this. Major reforms to the immigration system are
making life harder than ever for those seeking to abuse our
hospitality. Today's verdict is the result of the strong
partnerships we have forged with the police across the UK to crack
down on organised criminals seeking to abuse the immigration system
"The sentence handed out shows there is no hiding place
for those that break the rules. We will take steps to deport Mr Li
at the end of his sentence. "
With Xiang Li's conviction the search continues for his
alleged accomplice, Tian Zhao, 26 real name believed to be Wentao LI.
The trial was the culmination of a twenty-month investigation by
the newly formed North East, Yorkshire and the Humber Immigration
Crime Team, which comprises UK Border Agency officers working with
detectives from seven police forces in the region to tackle
organised immigration crime.
Detective Chief Inspector for the North East, Yorkshire and the
Humber Immigration Crime Team Dave Powell said:
"This was a highly organised and elaborate national scam
and we are pleased to see this successful conviction today. The
combination of skills from UK Border Agency Immigration officers
and Detectives from the Police make for a formidable team that can
pursue suspects wherever they reside in the UK.
"We remain committed to tracing other's
suspected of being part of this organised crime group, to ensure
that they cannot take advantage of other vulnerable people who
seek to live and work in the UK."
The trial judge recommended Xiang Li for deportation after
serving his sentence.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Xiang Li was convicted today - 29 September 2009 - at
Southwark Crown Court. He was found guilty of money laundering,
assisting unlawful entry into the EU (namely the UK) and of fraud
by misrepresentation. Li was part of a criminal gang that targeted
Chinese and other nationals seeking to obtain UK passports and
work permits. He was sentenced to four-and-half years for
facilitating unlawful entry into the EU, three-and-a-half years
for fraud and three years for money laundering. He pleaded guilty
to a further three charges of fraud and a further free charges of
facilitating illegal entry to the EU at a previous hearing. The
sentences will run concurrent.
2. The UK Border Agency was launched on 3 April 2008 by the Home
Office, establishing a single force to protect our borders,
control migration for the benefit of the country, prevent border
tax fraud, smuggling and immigration crime and make quick and fair
decisions on asylum claims.
3. The North East, Yorkshire and the Humber Immigration Crime
Team were set up in April 2008 and is one of several regional
teams. These specialist teams of seconded police officer and the
UK Border Agency staff have been set up to investigate crime, and
prosecute those behind it.
4. The UK Border Agency are also rolling out identity cards for
foreign nationals, containing fingerprints and facial scans so
that there can be no doubt about a person's identity.
5. Anyone with information related to this case or on the
whereabouts of Mr Li's alleged accomplice who used the
name Mr Tian Zhao. His real name is believed to be Wentao LI.
Anyone with information can contact anonymously Crimestoppers on:
0800 555 111
The Home Office Press Office can be contacted on 020 7035 3535
UKBA001/2009
Contacts:
NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the above department
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk