TWO alleged people smugglers have been accused of trafficking hundreds of illegal migrants into Britain.

Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Ali Khdir, 42, of Caerphilly, stand accused of hiding refugees in boats, lorries and cars to bring them into Europe from the Middle East.

They have been accused of working with an organised people smuggling cartel which trafficked people from Iraq, Iran and Syria through the EU - to Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Germany and France.

The final destination for many of the migrants, according to National Crime Agency investigators, was the UK.

‘Hundreds, if not thousands’

Shamo and Khdir were initially arrested in April last year and have since been charged with four trafficking offences.

They appeared at Cardiff Crown Court this afternoon, March 25, with charges stating they "facilitated the commission of a breach or attempted breach of immigration law".

Shamo and Khdir allegedly "conspired with others unknown" to break various countries' immigration laws.

The pair denied all four charges against them.

Recorder of Cardiff Tracey-Lloyd Clarke remanded them in custody ahead of a further hearing on April 11.

National Crime Agency branch commander Derek Evans said: "This investigation involves two UK residents suspected of organising the logistics of moving illegal migrants through Europe.

"The arrest and charge of these individuals is a major disruption to a suspected international organised crime group alleged to have moved hundreds, if not thousands, of migrants illegally across borders.

"The NCA is tackling organised immigration crime as a priority and we will continue our work with partners to disrupt the networks involved at every part of the route."