Underworld: Behind the Scenes of the NCA

He was feted “the best smuggler” – now he's serving a 17-year jail term. In this opening episode of series two, the NCA reveals how it took down Amanj Hasan Zada, the ringleader of a global people smuggling network moving migrants across borders and into the UK on small boats. Based in Preston, Zada thought he was untouchable – until the NCA exposed his operation and brought him to justice. Hear from the NCA team who led the case, and the Kurdistan Region Security Agency who helped capture key suspects overseas.

It's 2019, and a senior figure in the Kinahan Cartel is in custody, facing over 20 years behind bars for drug trafficking. Meanwhile, the NCA receives intelligence pointing to a buried cache of firearms and ammunition in a field in Northern Ireland. What followed was a complex and extraordinary NCA-led investigation – one that exposed a secret plot and delivered a major blow to organised crime. Hear from specialist officers from the NCA and PSNI, as well as Irish investigative journalist Nicola Tallant, as they reveal how one of the biggest twists in British criminal history was uncovered.

David Saynor, now in his seventies, used his limousine business to groom and sexually abuse teenage girls in Rotherham from the late 2000s to the early 2010s. Arrested under Operation Stovewood – the UK's largest investigation into non-familial child sexual abuse – Saynor's horrific crimes were exposed thanks to the courage of survivors and the dedication of specialist teams at the NCA. Hear from the officers who put him behind bars for the rest of his life, Rotherham MP Sarah Champion, a specialist prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, and more. Reporting child sexual abuse If you are concerned that a child is at immediate risk of harm, call 999. Concerns of child sexual abuse should be reported to Police by calling 101. Under 18 year olds can also report online sexual abuse or grooming to the National Crime Agency's CEOP Safety Centre: www.ceop.police.uk Support services Under 18 year olds can talk to Childline confidentially, at any time, by calling 0800 1111 or chat online to a counsellor by visiting www.childline.org.uk/get-support/contacting-childline/ Adults who experienced sexual abuse as child and would like to talk to someone about it can contact the National Association for People Abused in Childhood on 0808 801 0331 or by visiting https://napac.org.uk Survivors UK runs the National Male Survivors Online Helpline – a webchat and SMS service for men, boys and non-binary people who have experienced sexual abuse at any time in their lives. www.survivorsuk.org/ways-we-can-help/  If you are concerned about your own sexual thoughts, feelings or behaviour towards children, speak in confidence to Stop It Now by visiting www.stopitnow.org.uk or contacting their confidential helpline on 0808 1000 900 

From a Bristol car wash, Slovakian national Maros Tancos ran a ruthless modern slavery ring with the help of his partner Joanna Gomulska. Together they lured vulnerable victims with false promises before forcing them into unpaid labour and stealing their freedom. An extensive NCA investigation tore the operation apart, leading to their 25-year combined jail sentences. Specialist officers from the Agency reveal how this hidden horror was exposed and how they rescued and safeguarded dozens of victims. Related links: The modern slavery & exploitation helpline is part of leading anti-slavery charity Unseen. You can find more information about modern slavery and how to report concerns if you suspect modern slavery is taking place in your community on their website at https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org/ This episode references themes some listeners may find upsetting. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details 

When police forces need help with an investigation, they call in The Specialists from the NCA’s Major Crime Investigative Support team. MCIS officers have supported UK policing on the majority of high profile serious investigations in the last ten years. This final, fascinating episode looks back at some of those cases, the people who worked on the operations and the tactics which have helped them catch the worst of the UK’s offenders.

This episode focuses on Mohammed Mokter Hossain, who ran a sophisticated people smuggling network bringing people into the UK from his home in East London. For a fee, he could also arrange for you to leave the country in the back of a lorry, which is ideal if you’re wanted for murder or child abuse offences, as two of his customers were.  The Travel Agent looks at how Hossain’s million-pound criminal empire was brought crashing down by an undercover NCA operation.

How exactly was a gang ringleader caught and jailed after more than £100 million in dirty cash was smuggled into Dubai? Money laundering is one of the biggest threats to UK security, allowing dangerous, organised crime groups to fund their illegal operations and commit more crime. Sunshine and Lollipops investigates how NCA officers and financial investigators hunted and caught Abdullah Alfalasi and his ring of conspirators.  

If you’re a murderer on the run, or an international drug trafficker wanting to stay under the radar as you travel, a most prized possession will be your fraudulent passport. In The Golden Ticket, we learn about how NCA officers dismantled a crime group supplying fraudulently-obtained genuine passports, enabling dangerous criminals to operate and evade capture. This incredible episode highlights how the NCA used secret recording devices, undercover officers, and a masterful covert baggage search at Heathrow to collect one criminal’s DNA.