Immigration News

A ‘couple’ from East London involved in running an illegal marriage scam have been jailed for a total period of six years. Mohammed Tarin, 26, from Bangladesh and ‘partner’ Maria Marques, 47, from Portugal devised a scheme allowing Bangladeshi men to settle in the UK illegally.

Investigators were first alerted to their actions after their names were found listed in a notebook belonging to a man from the West Midlands who had been convicted of running a similar sham marriage scam. The ‘couple’ themselves had married at a Registry Office in Bow Church in November 2009, the same venue where the man from the West Midlands had also been married.

In June 2010, the couple had been stopped by UK Border Agency Officers (UKBA) at Luton Airport where they were travelling with a number of Portuguese women whose travel documents they had in their possession. Further investigations into this scenario led to the discovery that Tanin had paid for all the flights for these women and subsequently they were all allowed entry to the UK.

In a statement released by the UKBA they said: “Over an 18-day period in July 2010 we received certificate of approval applications for four Bangladeshi men in the UK on valid Student Visas to marry four of the Portuguese women. This is the first stage that could have enabled the Bangladeshis to apply to remain in the UK once their current Visas expired.”

The statement added: “Our North and East London criminal and financial investigation team acted quickly and arrested all four Bangladeshi men who made full admissions implicating Tanin and Marques, admitting they’d paid varying amounts of between £2,000 and £3,000 to facilitate their fraudulent applications. Forensic examination linked Tanin to each application.”

With evidence mounting against the ‘couple’ Tanin and Marques were arrested at their home in March 2011 by UKBA officials. They were convicted of UK Immigration offences at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 7 December 2011 after a trial lasting just over two weeks. They were also sentenced at the same court, with Tanin getting a total of four years and Marques receiving two years.

Following the conclusion of the case the UKBA said: “We are sending out a message that Immigration abuse will not be tolerated and we are coming down heavily on sham marriages all over the UK. The sentences handed out demonstrate that those who seek to cheat UK Immigration laws will face severe consequences.”