The date for his latest removal from the country has yet to be set
By Victoria Munro

A Walthamstow man is to be removed from the UK for the third time in two years after successfully evading the authorities for months.

Hazir Lala, 39, was extradited to Belgium at the start of last year but quickly re-entered the UK and was arrested here not long after.

In August last year, he was deported to his native Albania but again was able to make his way back into the country.

The National Crime Agency – the UK’s nationwide law enforcement – have been trying to track him down since July this year and finally arrested him on 26th November.

He has previously been convicted for human trafficking, possession of false ID, drunk driving and driving without insurance.

Jacque Beer, NCA regional investigations head, described Lala in a statement yesterday as a man who “has no place in the UK” and poses “an unacceptable risk to the public”.

He added: “Tackling organised immigration crime and human trafficking is a priority for the Agency… which [we and our] partners are doing everything possible to combat.”

Lala was extradited to Belgium to be sentenced for human trafficking, committed in 2016. He was given a five-year suspended sentence by the Belgian court.

He quickly returned to the UK and was arrested for overstaying on 20th February last year.

He was deported to Albania for this offence in August last year but managed to make his way back into the country again.

The date for his latest removal from the country has yet to be set.

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