Embedded Criminal: Former French People‑Smuggler Hides in Leicester, Claims Asylum

Tue Sep 29 2026 10:51:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

BBC expose shows a convicted smuggler living in the UK, working illegally and seeking asylum. The case highlights gaps in post‑Brexit border checks.

A BBC investigation uncovered Twana Jamal, a former French people‑smuggler convicted in 2016, now residing in Blaby, Leicestershire. Using undercover techniques and social‑media clues, reporters traced him to mini‑mart shops, where he works and drives without licence while asserting he applied for asylum. The story points to systemic failures in cross‑border criminal record checks, with more than 20 smugglers reportedly living in Britain under various aliases. Experts warn that the loss of EU data‑sharing agreements hampers UK immigration scrutiny, raising questions about national security and the integrity of the asylum system.

Embedded Criminal: Former French People‑Smuggler Hides in Leicester, Claims Asylum

Twanna Jamal, a convicted people‑smuggler known as the “godfather” of French migrant camps, was sentenced to five years in a French jail in 2016. By 2026, a BBC investigation found him living in the village of Blaby, just outside Leicester, driving a car without a licence and allegedly working in local mini‑marts.

BBC reporters traced Jamal using anonymous tips and undercover interactions. They recorded a phone conversation where he boasted about controlling the city and joked that “even the police won’t stop you.” In subsequent visits to the shops, they observed him handling the till and moving stock, despite his claim of having been in the UK since 2009.

When confronted with a picture from his 2016 French court appearance, Jamal’s response was famously dismissive: “I don’t care.” His continued presence and work in the UK raise serious questions about whether asylum checks can detect overseas convictions, especially given the UK’s lack of data‑sharing agreements with many EU countries post‑Brexit.

Experts point to a broader problem. More than 20 other people smugglers, some with convictions in France, Germany, and Belgium, have been confirmed as living in the UK. One is said to be selling used cars in Manchester, another with a French conviction resides in Blackpool, saying he has been granted leave to remain under a false name.

Insufficient Checks?

“If we were able to share databases with neighbouring countries, we would know they had a conviction for people smuggling,” says Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union. Asylum seekers are fingerprinted on arrival and checked against UK police databases, but foreign convictions often slip through the cracks.

The Home Office confirms all asylum claimants undergo mandatory security checks to confirm identity for immigration, security, and criminality checks, but details of these checks are not publicly disclosed. Despite these safeguards, immigration enforcement actions have reached record highs, with illegal working arrests up 83%.

Key Imagery

Visuals from the investigation include a makeshift camp at Grande Synthe in 2016 and a courtroom image of Jamal in a weightlifter’s vest, illustrating his past.

Follow the BBC’s comprehensive coverage and related stories on people smuggling and asylum seekers to understand the full scope of this emerging security issue.