Five bags 39 years in jail after Police bust £1.65m UK-Vietnam smuggling ring

Five members of an organised crime group have been jailed for 39.5 years after smuggling Vietnamese migrants into the UK and laundering more than £1.65 million.

The UK National Crime Agency, NCA, said the group was led by twin brothers Vinh Van Nguyen and Quang Van Nguyen, who used migrants’ passports in a “debt bondage” arrangement to recover money paid for their journeys.

The other members were Van Huy Nguyen, Lia-Chien Trong and Sy Trai Ho.

Investigators recovered 220 Vietnamese passports and more than £16,700 in cash from a car searched in Birmingham. 

Police also found handwritten notes and money transfer receipts.

The NCA said more than £1.65 million was transferred to Vietnam through Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria Money Transfer and Post Offices between July 2024 and October 2025.

Vinh was convicted after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, while the other four defendants pleaded guilty.

Vinh was sentenced to 12 years and six months, Quang to nine years and nine months, Huy to seven years and two months, Trong to six years, and Ho to four years.

NCA branch commander Sara-Jayne Moore said the group treated migrants as a source of profit.

“This group had no qualms about transporting migrants for profit, as shown by the heartless language used to describe their human cargo,” Moore said.