In brief
Twana Jamal – convicted in France for running the Grande Synthe people‑smuggling network – is reported to be residing in Leicestershire and may still be involved in smuggling while claiming asylum under a false name. The BBC’s investigation traced Jamal to local mini‑marts and a vehicle without a licence, despite evidence of a five‑year French sentence. Post‑Brexit, the UK’s lack of data‑sharing with EU countries means many criminal records are not automatically checked against asylum seekers. Law enforcement has identified more than a dozen other convicted smugglers now in the UK under false identities, underscoring a need for tighter security measures.
A convicted people‑smuggler, once called the “godfather” of French migrant camps, is now believed to be living in Leicestershire and working illegally, while claiming asylum under a false identity. Twana Jamal, a 36‑year‑old Iraqi Kurd, was given a five‑year jail sentence in France in 2016 and was described by authorities as one of the most successful smugglers ever caught.
During the smuggling operation he reportedly earned up to £100 000 a week by moving illegal immigrants across the Channel, charging customers between £4,500 and £5,000. The Grand Synthe camp near Dunkirk was the base of his activities, and the French court described him as “Pasha”, a Turkish word meaning a person of high rank.
Following a tip this year, the BBC traced Jamal to the village of Blaby, where he was seen driving a car without a licence and supposedly working under a false name. Authorities say that after the UK left the European Union, it has become harder to check criminal records from other countries, and that some asylum seekers may evade mandatory refusals by operating illegally or using new identities.
The BBC investigation also uncovered that 15 other convicted people smugglers are believed to be living in the UK under false names. These include a man in Manchester selling used cars and another in Blackpool who claims asylum under a different identity and boasts of a leave‑to‑remain status on social media.
Law enforcement agencies in Europe say that the lack of data‑sharing agreements with the UK post‑Brexit leaves gaps in checking criminal and immigration records. “If we had shared databases with neighbouring countries, we would know if they had a conviction for people smuggling,” stated Lucy Morton of the Immigration Services Union.
Asylum seekers are fingerprinted on arrival and checked against UK police databases, but these checks do not automatically include foreign convictions unless there is a data‑sharing arrangement. The Home Office confirmed that all asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks, yet acknowledges that information about the checks is not publicly disclosed.
The investigation culminated with the BBC confronting Jamal at one of the local mini‑marts. Jamal denied any involvement in smuggling and claimed he had never been jailed in France. He said he had been in the UK since 2009 and refused to disclose his real name, insisting that the Home Office and immigration authorities already knew it. When asked why he drove without a licence, his response was simply, “So what? Did I hit you?”
The story highlights a growing concern that individuals with serious overseas criminal convictions can use false identities to enter the UK and evade detection, calling for stronger cross‑border data‑sharing and tougher enforcement against illegal working among asylum seekers.
