A 43-year-old British national, Faisal Tayeh MUQIZAL, a resident of Sheffield, UK, has this morning been sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment for attempting to assist illegal immigration into another state.

MUQIZAL was arrested by RGP Special Branch officers at the land frontier on Sunday 6th December 2020, as part of an intelligence-led operation. At the time of his arrest, MUQIZAL had just entered Gibraltar on foot escorting two males of Middle Eastern origin, both of whom purported to be Swedish passport holders. All three individuals had been due to board a flight to the UK, departing Gibraltar later that morning.

When challenged by police, the two males were confirmed to be impostors travelling on Swedish passports belonging to third-parties. They were refused entry into Gibraltar and returned to Spain, where they were detained by Spanish authorities. MUQIZAL was arrested, charged and appeared before the Magistrates’ Court on Monday 7th December 2020, where he pleaded not guilty. He was remanded in custody at HM Prison Windmill Hill until his appearance in court today where he pleaded guilty.