A convicted people smuggler, Twana Jamal, once described as "the godfather" of French migrant camps, has been found living in Leicestershire, UK, and is believed to be seeking asylum while working illegally, according to a BBC investigation.

Jamal, an Iraqi Kurd, was sentenced to five years in jail in France in 2016. Prosecutors described him as one of the most successful people smugglers ever caught, stating he earned up to £100,000 a week moving illegal immigrants across the Channel. From about 2012 until 2016, he operated out of the Grand Synthe camp near Dunkirk, charging customers £4,500-£5,000 to cross to the UK.

Following a tip-off in 2026, the BBC traced Jamal to the village of Blaby in Leicestershire, where he was observed working, driving without a license, and apparently using a false name. Jamal admitted to driving without a license but expressed no concern about being investigated or caught.

His presence in the UK has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of border controls in identifying asylum seekers with serious criminal convictions overseas. Immigration officers told the BBC that since the UK left the European Union, it has become more difficult to check criminal records from some countries due to the loss of data-sharing agreements.

Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union highlighted that if database sharing with neighboring countries like Germany, Belgium, Holland, and France were possible, convictions for people smuggling would be more easily identified.

The Home Office stated that the UK maintains several agreements enabling the sharing of criminal record information and noted that immigration enforcement is at its highest level in history, with arrests for illegal working up 83%.

The BBC also reported finding more than 20 active smugglers in the UK, some with overseas convictions and others claiming asylum under false names.

Sources