UK Sanctions Network Involved in Illegal Migration, Human Smuggling
The U.K. on Oct. 22 sanctioned a range of people and an entity for their ties to illegal migration to the country, including members of Balkan-based criminal gangs involved in selling fake passports, international financiers for their role in supporting human smugglers, and suppliers of small boat equipment.
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The U.K. sanctioned multiple people for their involvement in the Kosovo-based Krasniqi human smuggling network, a "criminal gang who ran a sophisticated forgery lab producing fake documents," the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said. They include four members of the Krasniqi family: Burim, Valon, Arif and Flamir Krasniqi. The U.K. also sanctioned Croatian national Nusret Seferovic for supplying fake passports.
The U.K. also targeted Dubai-based Alpa Trading FZCO, which processes money for smuggling gangs, and people affiliated with the entity, including Ali Derakhshan, an Iranian national who is in charge of Alpa's day-to-day operations, and Vahid Derakhshan, an Emirati national. The U.K. also said Alpa Trading has helped to procure small boat parts for human-smuggling gangs.