Men conducted people-smuggling operation from car wash, trial hears
Two men conducted a people-smuggling operation from a hand car wash, a trial has heard.
Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Ali Khdir, 40, face five counts of assisting a breach or attempted breach of immigration laws.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the defendants conducted the alleged people-trafficking operation from Caerphilly.
Opening the prosecution's case on Monday, Sarah Gaunt told jurors the alleged operation was primarily conducted from the Fast Track Hand Car Wash in Caerphilly.
The two previously pleaded not guilty to the charges on 25 March.
The charges relate to the alleged contravention of Italian, Romanian, German and Croatian immigration laws and primarily involved migrants from Iran, Iraq and Syria.
"It is the prosecution's case that the defendants, in various ways, organised and entered into agreements to facilitate the breach or the attempted breach of the immigration laws of the countries that we are looking at," Ms Gaunt added.
Due to the length of the trial, which is listed for four weeks, 14 jurors were sworn in but, during the course of the trial, they will be reduced to 12.
The jury of seven men and seven women heard migrants would pay money, "often equating to several thousands of pounds", to fund the journey.
The trial heard four main routes were used to traffic the individuals, including via lorries.
Jurors were told Shamo and Khdir were "friends and associates" who worked together at the Fast Track Hand Car Wash on Pontygwindy Road, Caerphilly.
The court heard that the company, of which Shamo was a director, did operate as a car wash, but was used "at least in part to provide cover for the defendants' other activities".
Both Shamo, who was born in Iraq and Khdir, who was born in Iran and is of Kurdish-Iranian ethnicity, were or had become British citizens.
"Both defendants owned and operated the car wash at the time of the events that we are concerned with," Ms Gaunt said.
Shamo's two Mercedes cars and Khdir's Audi "had equipment fitted to them that was recording what was being said inside", the prosecution said.
"Much of the messaging and/or conversation that was recorded or seen was conducted in the Kurdish language," she said.
"These messages have been translated so that they could be produced as evidence before you."
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A clip of a phone conversation was played to the jury on Monday, which the prosecution alleges was between the two men, but is disputed by the defence.
In messages which will be presented to the jury during the course of the trial, the prosecution say the defendants "can be seen organising and liaising with a large number of individuals in order to facilitate or attempt to facilitate the illegal immigration that was going on or was going to go on".
Both defendants deny they are responsible for any incriminating messages as alleged by the prosecution.
The trial continues.
