Two men deny people smuggling charges

Two men from south Wales have pleaded not guilty to running a people-smuggling ring which allegedly moved more than 500 illegal migrants across Europe.

Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Ali Khdir, 42, from Caerphilly, are accused of assisting unlawful immigration after an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Shamo and Khdir appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, where they entered not guilty pleas.

They are next expected to appear before the court on April 11 for a trial date to be fixed.

Both were remanded into custody.

They are alleged to have operated a people-smuggling ring from the UK, arranging the movement of migrants via boats, HGVs and cars from Iraq, Iran and Syria through the EU to Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Germany and France.

The NCA believes many of these migrants ended up in the UK.

Both Shamo and Khdir are alleged to have worked as part of a wider organised crime group.

The men were initially arrested in April 2023 and charged after answering bail on Sunday February 18.