Iraqi people smuggler who was caught by French police carrying a deflated boat he claimed was paddling pool avoids jail

Published: 14:10, 9 June 2026 | Updated: 14:19, 9 June 2026 A people smuggler caught carrying a deflated boat close to the Channel coast in France told police he thought it was an inflatable swimming pool, a court heard. Iraqi migrant Zaïd Khodaida was arrested in Gravelines, near Dunkirk, accused of trying to transport a boat to be used in a migrant crossing. But he walked free from court with a suspended sentence in an outcome described as 'shocking'. Khodaida was being paid £520 (€600) by a gang for the crossing as he was in debt of £21,600 (€25,000), a court was told. Charged with smuggling, he appeared in court in Dunkirk, where he also complained his mother is ill with cancer and her care is expensive. Khodaida, who was previously living in Germany, was given a suspended prison term and banned from France. The migrant was sentenced to one year in prison on a suspended sentence and will be banned from French territory for a period of five years. One source said: ‘It is a shocking case. The British taxpayer is spending hundreds of millions of pounds to stop these journeys and catch those responsible. Migrantrs on an inflatable boat at Gravelines, where a network of canals feed into the Channel ‘They can come up with these excuses but just get away with it. It's a terrible situation.’ Khodaida has since returned to Germany, where he has a criminal record for sexual offences, theft and theft with violence, according to La Voix Du Nord newspaper. Dunkirk Criminal Court confirmed Khodaida, an Iraqi refugee now living legally in Germany, was sentenced on May 27, following a fast-track trial for transporting an inflatable boat so as to ‘facilitate irregular migration’. This offence is punishable by a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, and a £26,000 (€30,000) fine. Migrants make their way down a beach to board a small boat and attempt a Channel crossing The source called the suspended sentence ‘a pretty dismal punishment.’ Gravelines, at the mouth of a river between Calais and Dunkirk, is a popular launching point for migrant boats because of its vast beaches and network of canals which French authorities find difficult to police.  Once in the water, international maritime law makes it difficult to stop the boats from moving out to sea.  The court heard that when questioned in custody, Khodaida told police he thought he was transporting a deflated swimming pool; one that would later be inflated. He changed his story in court, saying he knew the boat would be used for illegal immigration, and that he desperately needed the money on offer due to financial problems and paying for his mother’s medical costs. Although French action to ban people from the country has proved difficult to enforce, the punishment means offenders can be treated more harshly if they return and commit another crime. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.