A convicted people smuggler, identified by a BBC investigation as living in Leicestershire, has been arrested and charged with immigration offenses. Twana Jamal Khdir, an Iraqi national previously sentenced in France for his role in smuggling, was apprehended on Tuesday near Uppingham in Leicestershire.
The arrest was the result of a joint operation involving the Midlands Criminal Financial Investigations team and Leicestershire Police. Khdir subsequently appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty to entering the United Kingdom without valid entry clearance. He entered a not guilty plea to the charge of seeking to obtain leave to enter or remain by deceptive means. He has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at Leicester Crown Court on October 5.
Authorities in France had described Khdir as one of the most successful people smugglers ever caught. In 2016, he received a five-year prison sentence in France. Prosecutors stated that Khdir, then 36 years old, had earned up to £100,000 per week by facilitating the movement of illegal immigrants across the English Channel. The BBC revealed his presence in the UK last month, leading to the recent charges.