A convicted people smuggler, once known as "the godfather" of French migrant camps, is reportedly living in Leicestershire, England, and seeking asylum while working illegally, according to a BBC investigation. Twana Jamal, who received a five-year jail sentence in France in 2016, was tracked to Blaby in Leicestershire after a tip-off this year.
The BBC investigation observed Jamal working illegally and driving a car without a license, reportedly using a false name. Law enforcement officials in mainland Europe have also indicated that 15 other convicted people smugglers are residing in the UK under assumed identities. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of current border controls in identifying asylum seekers with serious criminal histories abroad.
The Home Office stated that all asylum claimants undergo mandatory security checks to confirm their identity for immigration, security, and criminality assessments. The department added that the UK has agreements with several countries to share criminal record information and that immigration enforcement actions are at their highest level historically.