If this is true, then these people are utterly crazy. "Beat him," one said, "..break his hands and feet outside." Good lord, I'd ALMOST rather stay in Affy.

But, is it true?

Likely not.

Next week: The Guardian will run an article on a people smuggling operation in a mental hospital in Victoria, BC, and talk about how them thar' varmints got what's coming to them, because after all they're Indian, Afghan, or Pakistani. Oh, and their entire three extended families will be killed in a windstorm on Tofino Beach, but that's just you know, not a very big deal. Because people should swallow these things. And what's the name of that woman whose child was snatched at Brighton Beach? Because our version of humanity dictates that that is FAR more important, of course. Anyway, wait for it.

Transcripts show scale of Afghan people-smuggling operation

Surveillance recordings reveal huge sums of money changed hands as gang brought hundreds of people into the UK illegally

* Robert Booth
* guardian.co.uk, Monday 8 June 2009 11.51 BST

Audio surveillence of Abdul Hameed Sakhizada and Abdul Wakil Niazi, who were jailed on Friday for smuggling into the UK hundreds of Afghans to work in pizza takeaway restaurants, has revealed the geographical scope of their operation and the huge sums of money involved.

It also showed how Prince Charles inadvertently interrupted operations, and how the smugglers hoped the sacrifice of an animal could protect their ship from sinking.

The following extracts are from recordings made in November and December 2007, shortly before the conspirators were arrested.

7 November Niazi states: "Only £500. They will put him in the lorry and then take him out. Six months ago I give them two boys and they had taken them. I got a good amount of money: 1,000 I got from one and 1,200 from the other one. Six hundred or 700 the boys are relaxed." Sakhizada refers to a ship taking on water and heading for Greece, to the ship's being repaired and to its taking a secret route.

12 November A caller tells Niazi: "He had gone to Afghanistan but he has come back to Greece. When he calls you this time, sort things out with him. Tell him if you clear it off I will leave you alone. Tell him this money, Naim has guaranteed it. Tell him I know you. Tell him you have both had O.K.ed with me up to France."

13 November Sakhizada discusses with another co-conspirator sums of money in the region of $1,140 (£720) and the fact that the unknown co-conspirator "got six people the previous night". He speaks of 10 people having arrived, $30,000-$40,000 being taken, the condition of the water being bad, one ship being under surveillence and a ship being repaired. He speaks of "the island", believed to be one of the Greek islands where the illegal immigrants are placed, and a price of $3,000 to get there. He says he has sent 20 people from Mazar, his home province in Afghanistan, without charge.

16 November Sakhizada has several different conversations about money being transferred. . He states that it his responsibility to get people to the island, and if a passenger is deported he will send him again. He says his boat can take 70-90 passengers. In another phone call, Sakhizada talks about a boy in Van, on the Turkish-Iranian border, who has been shot and hears that no-one will take him to hospital because the police will ask questions.

28 November Sakhizada talks on the phone about how extra security measures put in place for Prince Charles's visit to Turkey mean they cannot go ahead with their job and will have to wait.

29 November Sakhizada has a telephone conversation about money transfers to Izmir, in Turkey, and about bringing people from Istanbul and putting them in the basement.

3 December Sakhizada talks about buying a ship and then takes a call from a dissatisfied relative of a passenger. He explains the boys will be released in two to three days' time and will then go to Athens. Another relative calls, concerned that their relative may be deported.

4 December Niazi speaks to Sakhizada about how someone should go to France first and then Spain. Sakhizada will call the boys who have been to Italy.

5 December Sakhizada speaks of passengers and of arranging a "programme" (crossing) for Friday. He talks about several houses being raided, people arrested and a ship sunk.

6 December Sakhizada prays for the safe passage of his boat to Greece and asks if an animal has been sacrificed. He says he hopes the new boat will be lucky, and that things depend on the weather conditions.

7 December Sakhizada checks the weather for the night crossing and says there are a lot of people in the queue. He makes another call, speaking of having a lot of passengers and charging £3,500. He talks about individuals causing problems in the safe house and passes instructions to have five of them removed from the list because he cannot put 100 people at risk. He talks about throwing another passenger out, and says: "Beat him. Break his hands and feet outside."