A convicted Iraqi human trafficker, Twana Jamal, was traced to Leicestershire, where he is allegedly living under a false identity while awaiting a decision on his UK asylum claim.According to an investigation by BBC, an Iraqi man once labelled the “godfather of traffickers” has been found living in the UK while seeking asylum, despite serving a five-year prison sentence in France for running a major migrant smuggling network across the English Channel.Twana Jamal was traced to the village of Blaby in Leicestershire, where he was allegedly working illegally in a shop, driving without a licence and apparently using a false name. His case has raised questions over how a convicted trafficker was able to apply for asylum in the UK when immigration rules state that anyone jailed for at least a year overseas should normally face mandatory refusal.
Who is Twana Jamal?
French authorities arrested Jamal in 2016, describing him as one of the most successful migrant smugglers they had encountered.Prosecutors said he earned up to £100,000 a week by charging migrants around £4,500 each to transport them from northern France to Britain.During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Jamal operated from the Grand Synthe migrant camp near Dunkirk from around 2012 and had become the “go-to” contact for migrants hoping to reach the UK. His network was said to move around 80 migrants every month.Investigators also told the court that Jamal initially evaded detection by hiding migrants in trucks carrying onions and cheese. The cargoes emitted carbon dioxide, making it harder for detectors to identify people concealed inside the vehicles.Jamal was reportedly known in the camps as “Pasha”, a Turkish title used for someone of high rank.According to a BBC report, Jamal was expected to face deportation to Iraq’s Kurdistan region after completing his sentence but was found living in Leicestershire. He denied being involved in human trafficking when approached. Jamal claimed that he had lived in the UK since 2009 and said he had applied for asylum but was “still waiting”.Jamal was also shown a photograph of himself in a French courtroom during his 2016 trial for identification. Denying any accountability for the identity, Jamal replied with a “I don’t care” when asked if it proved he had been arrested.
‘This city is ours’
In an investigative phone call under a false pretext, Jamal claimed he was living in Leicester and boasted about his influence.“We know everyone in this city, this city is ours,” he said.He also claimed he was “making good money” and insisted he was not worried about law enforcement, saying “no one touches us here” and “even the police won’t stop you”.Jamal’s presence in Britain has renewed scrutiny of the UK’s asylum system.Under UK immigration rules, people sentenced to at least one year in prison overseas should normally have their asylum claims refused. Jamal’s pending application has therefore prompted questions about how his case has progressed.Responding to the investigation, a UK home office spokesperson said, “All asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks to confirm their identity for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks.”
Linked investigation uncovers another alleged smuggler
Jamal’s case emerged during a wider investigation that also led to the arrest of alleged people smuggler Kardo Jaf.Investigators believe Jaf headed an international trafficking network stretching from Afghanistan to the UK. They said he operated under the alias “Kardo Ranya”, making it harder for police to issue an international arrest warrant using his real identity.Like Jamal, Jaf is believed to be from Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, which a 2024 Chatham House report described as being “riddled with active smuggling networks”.Journalists who infiltrated Jaf’s network secretly recorded him offering several routes into Britain.“In France we’ve got trucks or planes or boats, we’ve got so many ways to get to the UK, whatever way you prefer we’ll get you to the UK,” he was heard saying.Jaf denied being a people smuggler, saying he had only advised people on how to leave Iraq and did not believe he had committed any offence.
