The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- An Indian national, Hem Raj, has become the first person in the UK charged under a new law criminalising online promotion of unlawful immigration services.
- Raj is accused of publishing social media posts offering fraudulent visa and asylum advice, and of providing immigration advice without qualifications between August 2024 and February 2026.
- The charge falls under Section 17 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025, which came into force on February 2, 2026 and carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine, or both.
- Raj was arrested in Smethwick on September 15, appeared in Wolverhampton magistrates' court the next day, and is on conditional bail with a GPS ankle tag and a ban on using internet devices.
- The case matters because Section 17 allows UK prosecutors to pursue suspects for online immigration promotion even if the activity took place overseas.
What to watch next
- Raj's plea hearing at Wolverhampton crown court on October 14
- Outcome of the National Crime Agency investigation into others using the same online channels
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1 report
English national1
All filed from India
Named United Kingdom · India · Hem Raj · National Crime Agency · Wolverhampton crown court · Wolverhampton magistrates’ court
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