Couple face jail for turning their loft into secret hideout for illegal immigrant who was discovered underneath a pile of suitcases Shohidul Islam, 41, and wife Anwara, 39, guilty of helping illegal immigrants Immigration officers found Shafik Miah under pile of suitcases in their loft Also found big haul of illegal documents including passports and NI cards Other items include counterfeit UK residence permits and over 270 pages of documentation in envelopes found in a bag inside a wardrobe Restaurant boss Abdul Shahid, 47, was convicted of passport charges His restaurant in Bolton offered sponsored 12 Bangladeshi applications Prosecuter described immigration operation as 'a fairly sophisticated job' By James Dunn For Mailonline Published: 02:12 +10:00, 22 May 2015 | Updated: 02:41 +10:00, 22 May 2015 e-mail 481 shares 17 View comments An Asian couple who turned their loft into a secret hideout for a Bangladeshi immigrant during a scam which allowed up to 12 migrants to live illegally in Britain are facing jail today. Father of four Shohidul Islam, 41, and his wife Anwara, 39, hid Shafik Miah under a pile of suitcases after he overstayed his visa - having been allowed to enter the UK on a six month visit in 2011. He was found hiding behind one of the suitcase during a raid last year by immigration officers who crawled through a floor shaft to his secret hideout. Other bags had been placed on or around Miah in a bid to hide him from the authorities. Father of four Shohidul Islam, 41, was convicted of assisting unlawful immigration. Anwara Islam, 39, and her husband hid Shafik Miah under a pile of suitcases after he overstayed his visa Convicted: Father of four Shohidul Islam, 41, and his 39-year old wife Anwara hid Shafik Miah under a pile of suitcases after he overstayed his visa Shafik Miah was was found hiding behind a suitcase during a raid on their home, pictured, last year by immigration officers who crawled through a floor shaft to his secret hideout Shafik Miah was was found hiding behind a suitcase during a raid on their home, pictured, last year by immigration officers who crawled through a floor shaft to his secret hideout Searches of the Islam's extended semi detached property in Burnley, Lancashire, also revealed a number of counterfeit Bangladeshi passports and National Insurance cards at their address pointing to a complex operation. They also found piles documentation relating to sponsorship applications alleged to have been by a local restauranteur for 12 Bangladeshi nationals applying for entry to the UK that helped secure the convictions of him and his nephew. Restaurant boss Abdul Shahid, 47, who ran the Sunar Gaw restaurant in Bolton was convicted of passport charges and nephew Mohammed Uddin, 42, was convicted of identity document offences. Amongst the haul seized were four counterfeit and doctored Bangladeshi passports with details altered were found at the house, a genuine British passport that had previously been reported lost or stolen, two genuine Bangladeshi passports but with different pictures and false UK entry statistics, plus four false UK National Insurance cards. Other items found included counterfeit UK residence permits and over 270 pages of documentation in envelopes found in a bag inside a wardrobe. Anwara Islam, right, walks with Mohhamed Amin Uddin outside Burnley Crown Court were they were today found guilty of various offences relating to unlawfully helping Bangladeshi immigrants get into the UK and stay here. Anwara Islam, right, walks with Mohhamed Amin Uddin outside Burnley Crown Court were they were today found guilty of various offences relating to unlawfully helping Bangladeshi immigrants get into the UK and stay here. At Burnley Crown Court, the Islams were found guilty of assisting unlawful immigration after a trial. Mr Islam was also found guilty of possessing false passports whilst his wife was found guilty of possessing identity documents without reasonable excuse. It is thought Miah, the man found in the loft, is now back in Bangladesh. Earlier the court heard he had been granted a visa to enter the UK between April 4 and October 10 2011 but carried on living in Britain. Immigration Officers executed a warrant at the house on April 1 having known the Islams had sponsored Miah on his Visa application. But when they arrived at 7.30am looking for Miah they were met by Mrs Islam from an upstairs window who refused not to come to the door. Immigration officer Neil Holt said: 'I spoke to Anwara Islam and she said "I'm sorry, Shafik can't go back to Bangladesh, he is in danger". I asked why she hadn't contacted the Home Office and who was it that helped Shafik Miah. She made no comment.' Anwara claimed she was changing from her 'night clothes to her day clothes' when the immigration officers arrived. But prosecutor Mr Brian McKenna explained how the he was found shortly afterwards, buried in suitcases, and the couple later tried to claim he couldn't return to Bangladesh because of 'danger'. He said: 'No-one came to the door so after a period of a couple of minutes the immigration officers tried the door handle so they entered. Once inside Shohidul Islam and Anwara Islam were asked if Shafik Miah was at the address. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next I will not cave in on immigration pledge, says Cameron... Suit-wearing Romanian immigrant who went on £600 shoplifting... Share this article Share 'Shohidul Islam's reply was that Shafik Miah had gone back to Bangladesh. Anwara Islam, she said that he didn't live at the address and she hadn't seen him for over a month. 'But despite these comments the two immigration officers went on to search the house. 'In the loft area who should be hiding behind a large suitcase with a number of other bags around him but Shafik Miah.' 'When Mrs Islam was asked by officers why she had lied, replied, "I'm sorry, what it is, Shafik can't go back to Bangladesh. He is in danger". A search then led them to the master bedroom where they found a small grey bag containing passports, National Insurance cards and other documents - including a Bangladeshi passport in the name of Rumel Ahmed - in the wardrobe. Mr McKenna added: 'The passport was subsequently analysed by an expert, it was found to be counterfeit. It had been subjected to photographic substitution, unlawfully altered details and two counterfeit UK entry stamps. You may think it's a fairly sophisticated job.' Other documents relating to 'Rumel Ahmed' included bank statements and mobile phone correspondence that were in the former address of Shahid. A false passport in the name was supported by the documents. A genuine British passport, previously been reported missing and as a result invalid, had also been recovered. Two genuine Bangladeshi passports were found in the name of Shahid's son, Mohammed Abdul Khashem, yet the photographs in each were of different people. Mohhamed Amin Uddin (left) and his uncle, restaurant owner Abdul Shahid outside Burnley Crown Court. Both were convicted of offences related to unlawful immigration of Bangladeshi migrants Mohhamed Amin Uddin (left) and his uncle, restaurant owner Abdul Shahid outside Burnley Crown Court. Both were convicted of offences related to unlawful immigration of Bangladeshi migrants Sunar Gaw in Bolton. Restaurant boss Abdul Shahid, 47, who ran the restaurant in Bolton was convicted of passport charges sponsored applications for 12 Bangladeshi nationals applying for entry to the UK Sunar Gaw in Bolton. Restaurant boss Abdul Shahid, 47, who ran the restaurant in Bolton was convicted of passport charges sponsored applications for 12 Bangladeshi nationals applying for entry to the UK A further counterfeit Bangladeshi passport was to be found containing a counterfeit UK residence permit plus a counterfeit National Insurance card in the name Mohammed Noor Ali. A UK work permit stated that he was a kitchen assistant at the Sunar Gaw. Further false National Insurance cards and passports were found in the bag and enother bag was also found in the wardrobe containing a false Bangladeshi passport, a counterfeit UK resident permit and National Insurance card and over 270 pages of documentation. Mr McKenna added: 'In that second bag, also found was a large numbers of other documents. They were contained in nine paper files or brown envelopes. Many referred to Abdul Shahid and referred to his home address and others referred to that restaurant. 'Between 2005 and 2010, the defendant Abdul Shahid had acted as a sponsor in the applications for 12 Bangladeshi nationals who were applying for entry clearance to the UK. In the sponsorship forms they were described by him as other relatives. Mohammed Uddin, 42, was convicted of identity document offences Mohammed Uddin, 42, was convicted of identity document offences 'In 2004 the Sunar Gaw restaurant had acted as a sponsor for four Bangladeshi nationals in their applications to come to the country. The 270 pages of stuff seemed to relate largely to those sponsorship applications made by him or the Sunar Gaw restaurant. You may very well say that is very interesting, what's that got to do with these false passports and National Insurance cards.' Shomuj Miah had been one of the people sponsored by Abdul Shahid and had been granted a six-month family visit visa in February 2007 - but in April of the same year he applied for inclusion in the Register of Electors using Shahid's former address. In August 2012 he was still in the country and was arrested whilst working in a restaurant in Caernarfon, North Wales. He was found with a copy of a passport showing his picture but the name of Rumel Ahmed. In a Royal Mail postbag, officers found a birth certificate in the name of Rumel Ahmed and various bank statements. Another man, Mohammed Ali Noor was one of the nationals sponsored by the restaurant and a passport and NI card was found in his name. Shahid also sponsored his nephew Mohammed Amin Uddin, 42, to enter the UK after he applied for a six month family visa visit. The visa was issued September 2008 but in January 2012 he was arrested working in a restaurant in Ellesmere Port. When he was arrested he identified himself not as Mohammed Amin Uddin but as Ali Amin Mohammed. A photocopy of a Bangladeshi passport in that name was produced and a photocopy of a NI card. All the the accused denied wrongdoing. All the defendants will be sentenced on June 26 and were granted bail. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3091400/Couple-face-jail-turning-loft-secret-hideout-illegal-immigrant-discovered-underneath-pile-suitcases.html#ixzz4O06hsTT8 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

5 Reasons Why You Should Travel Alone!

Traveling alone is the way to go. You meet new people, you see new places, you get to know yourself. Ever since I traveled alone for the first time, I’m hooked. I even prefer traveling alone over a trip with friends. Not sure if solo travel is something for you? Here are 5 reasons why it undoubtedly is! 1. You can’t sit around and wait for life to come to you I decided on my first solo trip when I didn’t have anyone to travel with. I just graduated college, had some free time and none of my friends could travel with me. Some were working, some were still in school, some were saving up for a trip with their partner. It came to my mind that I could wait for ages until someone would have spare travel time to share with me. Traveling with friends is awesome, of course. But the older you will get, the busier your friends will get. People will graduate, get jobs, maybe even spouses, babies and houses! Free time will get more scarce, so why wait until someone can share it with you? Just go for it on your own. Don’t wait for the right moment, create it. 2. You’ll meet awesome people It’s super easy to make friends when you travel alone, much easier than when you travel with friends. Being alone, you are more approachable for other travellers. It’s easier to start a conversation with others when you’re not always with your bestie by your side. Some travel friends will last you that one unforgettable day out in the city, some will last you a lifetime. The first person I met on my first solo trip gave me a bed to crash on when I planned on moving to his city, four years later. Don’t worry about not making friends, it’s almost impossible. You’ll always find someone who shares an interest or a travel plan with you. Just start talking. If you’re a bit shy, take a book and go relax in the common room of your hostel. Chances are big that a conversation will spark up soon! 3. You can do what you want Traveling with good friends is unforgettable, but meeting each other in the middle can be time consuming and frustrating at times. When you travel alone, you can do what you want. Literally. What. You. Want. If that means changing your plans from doing a 15 kilometer hike to sitting in the sun, reading a book, binge eating ice cream, then that’s all good. You do you! I, for one, really wanted to see a cat shelter on my first solo trip, although there was also great historic architecture to see. But who was there to tell me history is better than cats? No one! 4. You’ll get to know yourself Do you think you know yourself inside out? Wait until you throw yourself into a new country, with a different language, different habits and no one familiar around to fall back on. You’ll definitely learn new things about yourself. I, for example, learnt that I’m a wimp when it comes to airplanes- public transport in general. I’m not at ease. I stress from when I arrive at one airport until the time I leave the other one. I learnt that I can’t read a map. I learnt that I’m pretty shy when taken out of my comfort zone. I learnt that I tend to surround myself with people, being afraid of loneliness. 5. Traveling alone makes you confident Although you’ll be confronted with yourself, it will make you stronger and more confident. You’ll cross personal boundaries and grow. I learnt to approach people in the street and ask for directions, so that I don’t end up walking the same streets for four hours. I learnt to spark up conversations with strangers, although I feel shy. I learn that being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. I learnt to believe in my own abilities by being appointed to myself and seeing that I am able to do all the stuff that scares me or takes me out of my comfort zone. I learnt to be a confident young woman by spending time with the person that I’ll spend time with for the rest of my life: myself. Traveling alone broadens the mind, makes you stronger, teaches you to be independent. It might be hard sometimes, it might be lonely sometimes. But most of the time, it is amazing. If you’re not sure solo travel is your kind of travel, just start out small. Plan a citytrip for a few days, and see if you enjoy it or not. What are you still waiting for? Go for it! Make memories! Travel alone!