Thursday 18 April 2013

UK Border Agency Worker In "Lucrative" Immigration Plot


A part-time UK Border Agency student visa case worker, who plotted with two accomplices to by-pass immigration rules on "a vast scale", dumped incriminating files over his back garden fence when his bosses raided his home, a court heard yesterday.

Civil servant Waseem Majid, 35, of Chestnut Rise, Woolwich had more immigration files stashed in his garden shed, Mercedes car and bedroom and was offering an illegal cash service to break the visa rules, Croydon Crown Court was told.

"These three defendants were at various times agreeing to circumvent immigration law," prosecutor Mr. Tony Badenoch told the jury. "Majid was at the head of it and had access to information and the opportunity to take that material away from work for criminal purposes."

Majid has pleaded not guilty along with Muhammed Qadiri, 53, of Regent Gardens, Ilford and Sanam Mia, 43, of Ancona Road, Woolwich to conspiring to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law on or before January 5, last year.

Majid, who was employed at Croydon's Lunar House, has also pleaded not guilty to misconduct in public office on or before August 28, 2011 - the day his home was raided by the UK Border Agency.

"He did things way, way, way outside his remit, things that were criminal and Majid was doing this on a vast scale," explained Mr. Badenoch. "He was not just taking home his own files, but everyone else's.

"When his home was visited a brown Mercedes was parked outside and when officers entered they noticed his wife looked nervous and kept glancing toward the back garden.

"Located in a garden next-door was a mass of confidential UK Border Agency documentation in bags and there were more in the shed, his bedroom and the Mercedes.

"He had taken the documentation home for criminal purposes, we say, and texts from Qadiri and Mia found on a phone also dumped in the bag contained biographical details of people for criminal purposes."

Qadiri's home was raided five months later. 

"He was defensive and said if his children were woken he would report it to his MP," said Mr. Badenoch. "Officers found a man hiding in the loft and confiscated a passport, mobile phone and immigration papers."

Texts Mia sent Majid contained the details of eighteen visa applicants.

"They knew what Majid was all about, that is why they kept going to him. They knew going to Majid was the best way to sort out the visas, there was a service being provided that was criminal."

Investigators discovered Majid had written amounts of money , such as £500 and £1,000 next to the names of applicants he was dealing with. 

"It was not done for fun, it was lucrative," said Mr. Badenoch.

Trial continues…………

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