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People smuggler convicted in France found seeking asylum in UK

newsJul 2, 202632611

Twana Jamal, a man prosecutors described as the "godfather" of French migrant camps, is living in Blaby, Leicestershire, and has applied for asylum in the UK while working illegally, the BBC found. Jamal was convicted in France in 2016 and given a five-year jail term; prosecutors said the Iraqi Kurd, aged 36 at the time, had earned up to £100,000 a week moving migrants and charged customers about £4,500 to £5,000 to cross to the UK. French court records link him to the Grand Synthe camp near Dunkirk, to the Kurdish "Ranya Boys" smuggling network, and report his camp nickname as "Pasha." The BBC traced Jamal after a tip-off, saw him driving without a licence, observed him using an apparent false name, and recorded him boasting "We know everyone in this city, this city is ours" and that he was making "good money" moving cigarettes. Immigration officers told the BBC that since the UK left the EU it has become harder to check criminal records from some other countries, and the BBC reported it had identified more than 20 active smugglers who have reached the UK. Jamal told the BBC he was "still waiting" for an asylum decision; his case raises questions about whether criminal records checks, alias use, or data-sharing gaps allowed a convicted smuggler to enter and remain in the UK. The BBC investigation that exposed Jamal followed its reporting that led to the arrest of smuggler Kardo Jaf and is linked to the Radio 4 podcast To Catch A King.

Sarah Murphy
@13sarahmurphy.bsky.social

#r4today reporting BBC’s investigation into people smuggler ‘King’. Justin Webb totally crestfallen when told by immigration specialist that Brexit binned the data sharing agreement we had with the EU. So, we can’t now properly check. We don’t have access to Eurodac - the fingerprint database. Ffs.

People smuggler convicted in France found by BBC living in UK and seeking asylum
4432h ago
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