A BUSINESSMAN who was caught out by a police sting is behind bars after trying to smuggle illegal immigrants into the UK.

Ali Mahmood Ahmed, who runs the Pit Stop Car Wash on Valley Road, Shipley, offered to pay £7,000 to bring his brother into Britain from Turkey and £1,500 to move a girl from Belgium to Bradford, the city's crown court was told.

Yesterday, a jury convicted the 38-year-old of breaching immigration laws by arranging clandestine entry to the UK between August 19, 2014, and March 18 of this year.

Judge Mark Savill remanded Ahmed into custody and warned he may be sent to prison when he is sentenced next month.

Ahmed, who was on crutches with an injured foot and wearing a grey suit with open top shirt, gave no reaction as he was found guilty.

The verdict, which took a morning to be reached, was translated to him through an interpreter who stood with him in the dock.

Judge Savill told Ahmed, of Wharncliffe Road, Shipley: "The starting point [for your sentence] may well be a custodial sentence."

Ahmed previously told the trial, which started last Tuesday, that he was joking when he told undercover police officers he would pay to smuggle people in the UK.

He was secretly recorded talking to undercover officers, 'Ian' and 'Dan', about hiding EU citizens in the cab spoilers of lorries to get them past the border guards and police and immigration officials seized items from the car wash.

He had been placed under covert surveillance after lorry driver James Dargie reported him to the police.

Mr Dargie had his wagon cleaned at the car wash on March 20, 2014 before he made a trip to Germany. He said Ahmed pointed to the cab spoiler and said he could get two illegal immigrants in there costing £2,500 each.

On August 20 last year, undercover officer 'Ian' went to the car wash in a 7.5 tonne lorry.

Ahmed offered to pay £7,000 to get his brother smuggled into the UK from Istanbul. The officer sold Ahmed diesel and also introduced him to his colleague 'Dan'.

The trial heard discussions were held between the officers and Ahmed about smuggling his brother and sister into the UK and bringing the girl from Belgium.

Ahmed, who was born in Iraq where his wife and four children still live, will be sentenced on Monday, November 30.