People smuggler who crammed woman behind car dashboard is jailed

A people smuggler has been jailed for attempting to bring a Vietnamese woman into the UK by cramming her behind the dashboard of his car.

Jozef Balog, 33, was given a two-and-a-half year prison sentence at Canterbury Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting a charge of assisting unlawful immigration.

According to the Home Office, the Slovakian national was stopped by the UK Border Force in Coquelles, northern France in June 2022, when he claimed to be returning to his Manchester home after visiting relatives.

But a search of his Vauxhall Vectra by officers, which involved the glovebox being removed, revealed the Vietnamese woman cramped behind the dashboard.

The car had been altered to create the tiny hideaway.

Home Office deputy director of criminal and financial investigations, Steve Blackwell, said: “This is a truly shocking case that shows the callous disregard these criminals have for the lives and safety of the vulnerable people they exploit.

“We have once again shown that those who seek to exploit our border will be caught and brought to justice.”

The smuggler has already served the jail term since he pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration in June 2022, and was in custody for 40 months.