Smugglers of Indian immigrants have been sentenced to 12 years each behind bars.

Soran Rasul, 29, and Bijar Sheikha, 27, Iraqi nationals, living in Plowman Close, in Edmonton, were two of seven men jailed for a combined 80.

Immigrants each paid around £10,000 to agents in India with another £10,000 to be paid upon arrival in the UK.

Barzan Kamal, 28, of Cardiff, and his associates held the victims captive at the flat of Rasul and Sheika in Edmonton, and demanded more money from Major Bajwa, 44 (who will be sentenced next month) and Kuldeep Singh, 37, who was jailed for ten years.

On November 5, 2014, police received a call from a man who claimed that a number of people were being held hostage at an address in Edmonton and would not be released unless a ransom of £10,000 was paid for each victim.

Bajwa coerced a relative into calling police in an attempt to have his co-conspirators arrested, but it was quickly established that Bajwa was behind the call and was subsequently arrested.

An investigation by the Met’s Trafficking and Kidnap Unit resulted in the other members of the gang being arrested. Over £80,000 in cash was also seized during the course of the investigation.

The victims were referred to the Home Office.

Burhan Abdul Sheikhany, 29, of Feltham and Liaqat Jabbarkhel, was sentenced to12 years’ imprisonment with Fahmi Hakim, 32, of Hillingdon, sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment

Karzan Rasoul, of Essex, is due to be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, 8 September.

Investigating officer, detective constable Kieran Backhouse of the Met’s Trafficking and Kidnap Unit, said: "I am very pleased with today’s sentencing which sends out a strong message that people smugglers face the full might of the law and can expect substantial jail terms. I would urge anyone with information about the whereabouts of Kamal to call the Met’s Trafficking and Kidnap Unit on 020 7230 8952 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."