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Talib Hussain and Rahina Zaman face sham weddings sentencing Talib Hussain and Rahina Zaman jailed over sham weddings
(about 5 hours later)
A man and his ex-wife who ran a massive international sham marriage operation from a suburban house in South Yorkshire will be sentenced later. A man who ran a huge international sham marriage operation from South Yorkshire has been jailed for six years.
Talib Hussain, 42, organised bogus weddings between Eastern European women and Pakistani men, who could then apply to live in the UK under EU border laws.Talib Hussain, 42, organised bogus weddings between Eastern European women and Pakistani men, who could then apply to live in the UK under EU border laws.
Helped by his ex-wife, Rahina Zaman, he ran the operation from his home in Rotherham, Sheffield Crown Court heard. He was helped by his ex-wife Rahina Zaman, who was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Sheffield Crown Court.
Both Hussain and Zaman pleaded guilty to breaching UK immigration law. The couple admitted running a "very large, professional operation" from his suburban semi in Rotherham.
More than 60 applications for UK visas were submitted to authorities, accompanied by fake documents and photos of the bogus weddings. Hussain, a Pakistani national, and Zaman, who is British, admitted conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
Judge Rosalind Coe QC said Hussain was the "hub" of the operation and his house on Broom Grove, Rotherham, was the "engine room".
Clothes swapped
The court was told that more than 60 applications for UK visas were submitted to authorities, accompanied by fake documents and photos of the bogus weddings.
But the UK Border Agency became suspicious when they noticed the same people appeared in many of the photos and the same clothes were being swapped between brides, grooms and guests to make the pictures look genuine.But the UK Border Agency became suspicious when they noticed the same people appeared in many of the photos and the same clothes were being swapped between brides, grooms and guests to make the pictures look genuine.
'Considerable expense' Sarah Wright, prosecuting, said that by marrying women from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Britain, the Asian men would have been eligible to move to Europe, and subsequently apply to live in the UK.
The couple and seven other members of the network appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday and will be sentenced for immigration offences.
Nine others who were connected to the conspiracy are also due to be sentenced at a separate hearing.
Sarah Wright, prosecuting, said by marrying women from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Britain, the Asian men would have been eligible to move to Europe, and wanted to live in the UK.
While it was not clear how much Hussain made from pairing up the couples, it was run at "considerable expense", she added.
Ms Wright said: "This was a huge, well-organised and professional operation.Ms Wright said: "This was a huge, well-organised and professional operation.
"At the very hub of this conspiracy and running the operation was Talib Hussain, assisted by other offenders including his wife, Rahina Zaman.""At the very hub of this conspiracy and running the operation was Talib Hussain, assisted by other offenders including his wife, Rahina Zaman."
Thousands of documents were found when Hussain's house was searched, proving it was the "control centre" for a massive network of fake brides and minders who accompanied them on flights to Pakistan, she added.Thousands of documents were found when Hussain's house was searched, proving it was the "control centre" for a massive network of fake brides and minders who accompanied them on flights to Pakistan, she added.
Hussain's brother-in-law, Mohammad Ramzan who lived in a house opposite, acted as a sponsor for two bogus applications. The judge also sentenced seven others involved in the operation:
Ramzan, 59, had 120 fake documents stored in his loft, the court heard. He will also be sentenced later. Eva Holubova, 19, was sent to a young offenders institution for 10 months. She was found guilty of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
Aftab Hussain, 36, was jailed for two years. He was found guilty of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
Khalda Ahmed, 45, was given a seven-month prison sentence suspended for a year and ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work in the community. She pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration.
Sabiha Khan, 46, was jailed for eight months. She pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration.
Nadia Qureshi, 28, was jailed for six months. She pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration.
Mohammed Ramzan, 59, was jailed for three years. He was found guilty of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
Peter Pohlooko, 19, was sent to a young offenders institution for 21 months. He was found guilty of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
A further nine people will be sentenced later.