People smuggler JAILED after migrant bound for Britain caught hiding inside a SUITCASE

Dashti Omar Abdulrahman was stopped in Coquelles, France, on his way back from the Netherlands where he had been visiting family.

He was trying to board the Channel Tunnel train back to Britain when he was stopped and questioned by officials. 

Border police demanded a search of his car – when they made a surprising discovery after finding an Iraqi man stuffed inside a suitcase on the back seat.

The 42-year-old was caught out on November 5 last year, and sentenced to two years at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday.

The Iraqi, who was stuffed inside a hard blue suitcase on the back seat of Abdulrahman’s VW Polo was passed to the French Police.

Assistant Director David Fairclough, from the Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigation team, said: “Abdulrahman offered no explanation, neither during interview, nor in court, for his actions.

“But whatever his motive, there is no excuse for such a breach of the UK’s immigration laws.

“The sentences handed out should serve as a warning to anyone tempted to get involved in this kind of criminality. 

“We will catch you and put you before the courts.”

The case comes almost a year after a shocking video which emerged showing the moment an Eritrean migrant trying to reach Britain was discovered packed into a tiny suitcase.

The Houdini-style stunt took place Switzeralnd, after an accomplice had packed the young man into the suitcase and carried him onto a train heading leaving Milan. 

The attempt to by-pass document checks was foiled when concerned rail passengers heard strange noises coming from the suitcase and alerted a guard.