PHTM - The trades favourite read
Join the PHTM WhatsApp Channel Follow PHTM on Facebook
  • Home
  • Newspaper
    • View the Digital Edition
    • Register for the digital edition
    • Advertising rates
    • Artwork specifications
  • PHTM EXPO 2025
    • Watch Expo Video
    • Watch Seminar Videos
    • View Exhibitors
    • View Brochure
  • Tables
    • Hackney Taxi Fare Tables
    • No. of Taxis & PH Vehicles in England/Wales
    • No. of Taxis & PH Drivers in England/Wales
  • Trade Index
  • Contact
Cab Direct
  • Newspaper
    • Digital Issue
  • PHTM EXPO 2025
    • Exhibitors
    • Seminars
    • Brochure
  • Tables
    • Hackney Taxi Fare Tables
    • No. of Taxis & PH Vehicles in England/Wales
    • No. of Taxis & PH Drivers in England/Wales
  • Trade Index
Posted on the 3rd December 2025 in PHTM News

10 YEARS 9 MONTHS JAIL FOR MAN WHO RECRUITED 5 CABBIES TO SMUGGLE PEOPLE ACROSS THE CHANNEL

An unemployed man who hired a team of taxi drivers in a conspiracy to smuggle migrants illegally to France in the back of lorries has been jailed.

Madjid Belabes, 53, arranged for the five cabbies to take people from London to lay-bys in Kent before being put in lorries and taken to France.

He made at least £287,000 from the plot, charging on average £1,200 for each person.

In one incident in February 2023, 58 people from Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria who were in the UK legally on visitor visas, managed to get as far as France before they were discovered.

Prosecutors argued that Belabes masterminded the illegal transportation of people 26 times between December 2022 and September 2023.

He pleaded guilty on October 29 and was found guilty yesterday of possessing more than £11,000 in cash from his crimes and sentenced to a total of 10 years and nine months behind bars.

During the trial, four of the five cabbies pleaded guilty to taking part in the activities of an organised crime group.

Samir Zerguine, 52, Mourad Bouchlaghem, 44, Mohamed Mabrouk, 44, Mohamed Issaoun, 49, and Said Bouazza, 55 who was found guilty by the jury, will be sentenced on 23 January 2026 - pictured below

Belabes hired them because they would have a credible excuse for having multiple people in their cars if they were stopped, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Four of the drivers were linked to Belabes from call and text records found on their mobile phones.

Bouhlaghem was captured on CCTV meeting Belabes in London and placing people in his car. Other drivers were also present.

CPS prosecutor Andrew Hudson said people smugglers put ‘desperate men, women and children in dangerous situations’.

‘Madjid Belabes and his five drivers helped migrants cross the Channel 26 times over 10 months and would have carried on doing so if they had not been caught,’ he added.

John Turner, a senior investigating officer at the National Crime Agency, said: ‘We know the gangs and drivers involved in smuggling migrants out of the UK are often involved in smuggling into the UK too.

‘Like Madjid Belabes, their only concern is making money. Belabes didn’t care about the potentially fatal dangers facing migrants hidden in lorry trailers.

‘He was in charge of this cell and he was a senior member of the wider crime group. He recruited the drivers to move the migrants.

‘But he also liked to get his hands dirty by gathering the migrants together and driving them himself.

‘These criminal networks treat human beings like commodities.’

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share to X

Read another story

  • GATWICK AIRPORT BECOMES UK'S MOST EXPENSIVE DROP-OFF ZONE WITH 43% HIKE TO £10GATWICK AIRPORT BECOMES UKS MOST EXPENSIVE DROP OFF ZONE WITH 43 HIKE TO 10

    The West Sussex airport has defended the decision, citing a significant rise in its operating costs, specifically pointing to an increase in business rates levied by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.Read More

  • SHEFFIELD RAILWAY STATION ROAD CHAOS PROMPTS TRIAL BAN ON PRIVATE DROP-OFFSSHEFFIELD RAILWAY STATION ROAD CHAOS PROMPTS TRIAL BAN ON PRIVATE DROP OFFS

    Sheffield council is set to trial a change to the road layout outside the station in a bid to alleviate “heavy congestion” and resolve longstanding conflicts between taxis and private vehicles.Read More

  • WIRRAL TAXI FARES TO RISE AS DRIVER WARNS OF THE RISK OF LOSING THE HACKNEY FLEETWIRRAL TAXI FARES TO RISE AS DRIVER WARNS OF THE RISK OF LOSING THE HACKNEY FLEET

    The Regulatory and General Purposes Committee approved the proposal, put forward by Unite the Union, at a meeting on December 10, despite having received four objections from the public .Read More

  • DURHAM TAXI DRIVERS DEMAND ACCESS TO £8M UNSPENT NEWCASTLE CAZ GRANT CASHDURHAM TAXI DRIVERS DEMAND ACCESS TO 8M UNSPENT NEWCASTLE CAZ GRANT CASH

    Newcastle City Council recently announced that applications for Clean Air Zone (CAZ) upgrade grants, worth up to £16,000, will close on January 30. Read More

  • SWANSEA TAXI CRACKDOWN: THREE VEHICLES PULLED OFF ROAD IN SAFETY OPERATIONSWANSEA TAXI CRACKDOWN THREE VEHICLES PULLED OFF ROAD IN SAFETY OPERATION

    The enforcement action, codenamed Operation Beccles, was carried out on 5 December by the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot Licensing Team with colleagues from Swansea Council taxi licensing team.Read More

  • WELL DONE TO WIRRAL PH DRIVER ALAN GILFOYLEWELL DONE TO WIRRAL PH DRIVER ALAN GILFOYLE

    Year 11 of doing his annual toy appeal to help less fortunate local kids get a present on Christmas Day.Read More

  • SAFETY FIRST AS SOUTHEND SET TO DETERMINE UBER LICENCE APPLICATIONSAFETY FIRST AS SOUTHEND SET TO DETERMINE UBER LICENCE APPLICATION

    The council’s independent, quasi-judicial Licensing Sub-Committee will determine an application from Uber Britannia Limited for a Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Operator’s Licence.Read More

  • CATALAN TAXI DRIVERS GRIDLOCK BARCELONA IN MASS PROTEST AGAINST UBER AND CABIFYCATALAN TAXI DRIVERS GRIDLOCK BARCELONA IN MASS PROTEST AGAINST UBER AND CABIFY

    The demonstration aims to ensure the draft legislation, which would drastically reduce VTC licences from 900 to around 300, is passed in its current strict form.Read More

  • TAXI MARSHALS AND HEALTH BUS DEPLOYED TO BOOST SAFETY FOR PETERBOROUGH FESTIVE REVELLERSTAXI MARSHALS AND HEALTH BUS DEPLOYED TO BOOST SAFETY FOR PETERBOROUGH FESTIVE REVELLERS

    The joint initiative, involving Peterborough Positive, Peterborough City Council, and Light Project Peterborough, aims to provide immediate medical welfare and ensure safe travel home for revellers.Read More

  • POLICE SEEK WITNESSES AFTER WORCESTER CABBIE HOSPITALISED IN FARE DISPUTE ATTACKPOLICE SEEK WITNESSES AFTER WORCESTER CABBIE HOSPITALISED IN FARE DISPUTE ATTACK

    The incident occurred around 11.10 pm on October 11 on Liverpool Road.Read More

  • NORWICH TAXI DRIVERS HIT WITH £100 FINES DUE TO ALLEGED PARKING CAMERA GLITCHNORWICH TAXI DRIVERS HIT WITH 100 FINES DUE TO ALLEGED PARKING CAMERA GLITCH

    Taxi drivers operating at Norwich station car park are reporting they have been wrongfully issued £100 fines by NCP, despite only spending brief periods dropping off or picking up customers.Read More

  • UBER UNVEILS PHONE FREE AIRPORT KIOSKS REVIVING TAXI LINE FAMILIARITYUBER UNVEILS PHONE FREE AIRPORT KIOSKS REVIVING TAXI LINE FAMILIARITY

    The kiosks, set for a broader rollout at hotels, ports, and international airports, are specifically designed to serve international visitors arriving without local U.S. mobile data plans.Read More

  • BAIDU ROBOTAXI SERVICE HALTED AFTER COLLISION TRAPS PEDESTRIAN IN CHINABAIDU ROBOTAXI SERVICE HALTED AFTER COLLISION TRAPS PEDESTRIAN IN CHINA

    The incident has led the operator, Hello, to immediately halt its robotaxi service in the city as authorities investigate.Read More

  • TAXI MARSHALS RETURN TO BISHOPS STORTFORD RAIL STATION TO ENSURE SAFE FESTIVE NIGHTSTAXI MARSHALS RETURN TO BISHOPS STORTFORD RAIL STATION TO ENSURE SAFE FESTIVE NIGHTS

    The initiative, which costs £3,800 and is partly funded by the Hertfordshire Police & Crime Commissioner's Safer Town Centres Grant Scheme, commenced on 5 December.Read More

  • EXPERTS URGE RENAMING HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT TO CURB SPIRALLING £2.3 BILLION COSTSEXPERTS URGE RENAMING HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT TO CURB SPIRALLING 23 BILLION COSTS

    Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee, witnesses argued that while councils are committed to helping children entitled to support, the service does not need to be “a door-to-door taxi service.”Read More

  • CORNWALL TAXI DRIVERS LOSE LICENCES AFTER DRUG DRIVING ARRESTS AND SPEEDING SPREECORNWALL TAXI DRIVERS LOSE LICENCES AFTER DRUG DRIVING ARRESTS AND SPEEDING SPREE

    Several taxi drivers in Cornwall have had their licences revoked or refused following serious misconduct, including being arrested for driving on cocaine and then smashing into cars.Read More

  • WIRRAL BLACK CAB FARES ROW: UNION PUSHES FOR HIKE DESPITE DRIVER FEARS OF BEING PRICED OUTWIRRAL BLACK CAB FARES ROW UNION PUSHES FOR HIKE DESPITE DRIVER FEARS OF BEING PRICED OUT

    The proposal, to be considered by the regulatory committee, would see day rates increase by as much as 13% for longer journeys and a 13% increase for one-mile journeys at Christmas and New Year.Read More

  • INVERCLYDE TAXIS SET FOR POTENTIAL NEW FARE HIKE JUST ONE YEAR AFTER 7% RISEINVERCLYDE TAXIS SET FOR POTENTIAL NEW FARE HIKE JUST ONE YEAR AFTER 7 PER CENT RISE

    The council’s general purposes board is due to consider the report on December 10, which confirms that representatives of the taxi trade "have now been requested to submit their views.Read More

  • REPORT WARNS OF RAPIDLY GROWING GHOST NUMBER PLATE CRISIS AS 41% LONDON CABBIES ARE NON COMPLIANTREPORT WARNS OF RAPIDLY GROWING GHOST NUMBER PLATE CRISIS AS 41 LONDON CABBIES ARE NON COMPLIANT

    An "explosive" new report lays bare the "serious safety concerns" of the UK's "outdated and poorly regulated number plate system," warning it enables criminals to operate undetected.Read More

  • ARREST IN COLD CASE: MAN 76 CHARGED WITH 2008 MURDER OF TIPTON TAXI DRIVERARREST IN COLD CASE MAN 76 CHARGED WITH 2008 MURDER OF TIPTON TAXI DRIVER

    David Harrison, from Bilston, is accused of killing 39-year-old Mr. Khan. The victim "was shot outside his Tudor Street home at 9.25pm on March 3, 2008, and later died at hospital."Read More

Load More News

    PHTM DECEMBER 2025

    READ | PRINT | SUBSCRIBE

    phtm digital newspaper DECEMBER 2025

    Follow PHTM
    LinkedIn

    phtm whatsapp channel

      • TakeMe
      • autologica
      • hollogram
      • Patons Insurance
      • Autocab
      • taxi insurer
      • insure taxi
      • Birkdale Insurance Group
      • iCabbi
      • The Taxi Centre
      • Cab Direct
      • Taxi CCTV
      • Acorn Taxi Insurance
      • Patterson Law
      • EaziTax
PHTM • 11 Heaton Lodge • Bury Old Road
Manchester • M25 1NZ • 0161 688 7777
Join the PHTM WhatsApp Channel Follow PHTM on Facebook Follow PHTM on LinkedIn Follow PHTM on X
All content Copyright © 2025  CONTACT | ABOUT | PRIVACY
Private Hire and Taxi Monthly Limited