Highlights
- Hem Raj, 24, an Indian national and migrant himself, appeared before Birmingham Magistrates Court on Wednesday (16)
- It's the first charge brought under Section 17 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 in an NCA investigation
- Arrested in Smethwick on Tuesday (15) after social media posts allegedly offering fraudulent visa/asylum advice were discovered; phones seized
A 24-YEAR-OLD Indian national has become the first person in the UK to be charged with advertising illegal immigration services online, in a landmark case for Britain's newest border security law.
Hem Raj, who is himself a migrant based in the West Midlands, appeared before Birmingham Magistrates Court on Wednesday (16) following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and West Midlands Police.
Raj was arrested at an address in Smethwick on Tuesday (15), when officers seized mobile phones from the property. His arrest followed the discovery of social media posts that allegedly offered advice on fraudulent visa and asylum applications.
He has been charged with advertising illegal immigration services contrary to Section 17 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025, as well as illegally providing immigration advice under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
First charge under new law
The charge is the first brought under the new BSAI Act offence as part of an NCA investigation, making this a test case for how the law will be used.
No detail yet on how many people may have contacted Raj or acted on the advice attributed to him, or whether any alleged victims have been identified.
Migrant communities are frequently targeted by fraudulent immigration advice circulating on social media, often from people posing as informal experts within their own community.
According to NCA, he’s also been charged with illegally providing immigration advice in contravention of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
NCA branch commander Kevin Broadhead said, “Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the National Crime Agency, and we are doing all we can to disrupt and dismantle those involved. This includes targeting those who facilitate offending using online platforms.”
