Iraqi 'Godfather of the traffickers' who made £100,000 a week smuggling migrants to UK is now in Britain claiming asylum himself while working illegally

By OLIVIA CHRISTIE, NEWS REPORTER Published: 07:13, 2 July 2026 | Updated: 07:13, 2 July 2026 An Iraqi crimelord dubbed the 'Godfather of traffickers' is now in Britain and is believed to be claiming asylum himself while working illegally. Twana Jamal was jailed for five years in France in 2016 after he was caught earning up to £100,000 a week by smuggling migrants across the Channel into the UK.  Authorities said Jamal, then aged 36, was one of the most successful people traffickers they had ever caught, charging migrants £4,500 each to bring them to Britain.  While Jamal was supposed to face deportation back to Iraqi Kurdistan after his release from prison, he has now been uncovered living in the village of Blaby in Leicestershire.  Reporters witnessed him working at a shop, driving a car without a licence and apparently using a false name. In a call arranged by a source under a false pretext, Jamal said he was now based in Leicester and boasted: 'We know everyone in this city, this city is ours.' He added he was 'making good money' and said he was not worried about being caught as 'no one touches us here' and 'even the police won't stop you'.  Twana Jamal (pictured in court) was jailed for five years in France in 2016 after he was caught earning up to £100,000 a week by smuggling migrants across the Channel into the UK During the trial, prosecutors said Jamal had been operating out of the Grand Synthe camp near Dunkirk since around 2012 When Jamal was confronted by the BBC on the street, he denied he had ever been involved in people smuggling.  He claimed he had been in the UK since 2009 and said he had applied for asylum but was 'still waiting'.  When shown a picture of him in a French courtroom in 2016, he replied 'I don't care' after being asked if it was proof that he had been arrested.  Jamal's presence in the UK raises questions about how people convicted of serious crimes are able to apply for asylum.  The law states that anyone who has spent a year or more in jail overseas should face a mandatory refusal.  During the trial, prosecutors said Jamal had been operating out of the Grand Synthe camp near Dunkirk since around 2012.  He was reported to be the 'go-to' guy for getting to the UK from other camps along the French coast, ferrying lorry loads of migrants at a rate of 80 a month.  Jamal initially evaded detection by using trucks with cargoes of onions and cheese to transport migrants from French ports to Britain.  The cargo foiled carbon dioxide detectors used to identify the breath of people hiding inside because it emits the same gas.  The court heard that Jamal's nickname in the camps had been 'Pasha' - a Turkish word meaning someone of high rank.  He claimed that his case had been one of mistaken identity. The tracing of Jamal to a village in Leicestershire comes as part of another BBC investigation which led to the arrest of leading people smuggler, Kardo Jaf. Jaf is thought to have led a vast international smuggling operation with routes stretching from Afghanistan to the UK. He had been operating under the alias 'Kardo Ranya' - frustrating police efforts to issue an international arrest warrant, as this would require his real name. Jaf took the moniker from the town of Ranya in Iraqi Kurdistan, where, like Jamal, he is believed to be from. Iraqi Kurdistan is an autonomously governed region 'riddled with active smuggling networks', according to a 2024 report by think-tank Chatham House. Investigative journalists confirmed Jaf's true identity by penetrating his inner network. In a secret recording, they then captured him offering a guarantee to reach the UK. Jaf denied being a smuggler and claimed he had only ever advised people on how to leave Iraq. He said that he did not believe he had committed any offence. '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. A spokesperson for the Home Office said: 'All asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks to confirm their identity for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks.'  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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