A group of Afghan nationals who arrived in the UK illegally accused of r*pe and human trafficking offences involving two girls face a lengthy trial following an investigation into alleged child s*xual exploitation in Norwich. The defendants, who are accused of sexual offences committed between August 2023 and May 2025, pleaded not guilty to all 38 counts during a hearing at Norwich Crown Court on Friday and were remanded in custody. A 12-week trial had been scheduled to begin at Norwich Crown Court on 11 January 2027. It is now expected to take place at Southwark Crown Court, with 4th May identified as the earliest possible start date. Judge David Tomlinson said neither the trial date nor the trial judge had been confirmed. The charges include rpe, conspiracy to rpe, facilitating human trafficking and perverting the course of justice. Individual defendants face different allegations. Police arrested suspects during raids on six addresses in Norwich and one in Dumbarton, Scotland. According to Norfolk Police, the seven men initially charged had been granted asylum. Five arrived in small boats, one concealed in a lorry, and another attempted to enter the country clandestinely through Portsmouth ferry port. Irish police also arrested a further suspect, with legal proceedings underway to seek his return to the UK. Norfolk Police said none of the charged men had lived in asylum hotels in Norfolk and none of the alleged offences happened in asylum hotels. The seven Afghans had been granted asylum in the UK, according to Norfolk Police. Ahmadzai, 20, of Pottergate, Norwich, denies nine counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to rape, one count of facilitating human trafficking and one count of perverting the course of justice. Khalili, 20, of High Street, Dumbarton, denies seven charges of rape, one count of conspiracy to rape and one count of facilitating human trafficking. Auryakhel, 20, of Eleanor Road, Norwich, denies one count of rape. Kaker, 20, of Black Horse Opening, Norwich, denies four counts of rape, one count of conspiracy to rape and one count of facilitating human trafficking. Mohammed Shinwary, 20, of St Benedicts Street, Norwich, denies two counts of rape. Ahamad, 21, of Pelham Road, Norwich, denies one count of rape and three counts of facilitating human trafficking. Davodzai, 20, denies four counts of rape and one count of conspiracy to rape. Bilal Shinwari denies four charges, including two counts of rape of a girl under 16, one count of conspiring to rape a girl under 16 and one of conspiring to rape a woman aged 16 or over. The final suspect to be arrested, Shinwari, 20, entered the UK on a small boat in November 2022.