BBC investigation finds convicted people smuggler Twana Jamal in UK
A BBC investigation has discovered that convicted people smuggler Twana Jamal is living and working in the UK and has claimed asylum.
Narrative Synthesis
Neutral news article compiled by integrating coverage details from all reporting stations.
A convicted people smuggler who was jailed in France for five years has been found living and working in the UK, a BBC investigation has revealed. Twana Jamal, once described by French police as the most successful smuggler they had ever caught, is now claiming asylum in Britain while running a chain of vape and sweet shops in Leicestershire.
Jamal, an Iraqi Kurd, was jailed in 2016 for his role in smuggling thousands of migrants hidden in lorries across the Channel. At the time, French authorities estimated he was earning up to 100,000 pounds a week from the trade. He was known as the "King of the Jungle" in reference to the Calais migrant camp, where he operated.
The BBC tracked Jamal to the village of Blaby, near Leicester, where he and his brother are running several shops, including one next door to the office of the local MP. Undercover footage showed Jamal working in the shops and using the alias "Sultan" with customers. He was identified by distinctive features including a tattoo on his hand, a kink in his ear, and a receding hairline.
In secretly recorded conversations, Jamal bragged about his influence in the area. He said: "Don't worry if you get a ticket from the police, I will pay it for you. Don't worry about anything in this city. We know everyone in this city, this city's ours. I don't have a driving licence. All I'm doing is illegal, but it's okay, because all this area is mine. They're not gonna catch me or anything."
When confronted by BBC correspondent Sue Mitchell, Jamal denied being a smuggler and refused to give his name. He claimed the Home Office knew his identity and that he had done nothing wrong. He said: "I never am [a smuggler]." He also denied working in the shop despite being observed doing so for days. He argued that he had been in the UK for almost 20 years and that the investigation was making people hate immigrants.
The Home Office said it carries out mandatory security checks to establish identity and check for criminal backgrounds, but it would not disclose the specific checks it makes for security reasons. It added that it has agreements with other countries to share criminal record information and that immigration enforcement is at its highest level in history.
Under UK law, anyone who has spent 12 months or more in prison overseas should be automatically refused the right to remain in the country. The case has raised questions about how many other convicted smugglers might be hiding behind businesses in the UK.
On screen
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Key Claims
Factual or political claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| He is living in the UK, claiming asylum, and running vape and sweet shops in Blaby, Leicestershire, using the alias Sultan. | |
| The Home Office said it carries out mandatory security checks and has agreements to share criminal record information, but would not disclose specific checks. | |
| Twana Jamal was convicted in France in 2016 for people smuggling and described by French police as the most successful smuggler they had ever caught. | |
| Twana Jamal, convicted in France for people smuggling, is claiming asylum in the UK and running vape and sweet shops in Leicestershire; the Home Office said it carries out mandatory security checks but did not comment on his case. |
Channel Perspectives
Editorial focus, emphasis angles, and key quotes from each reporting news station.
The channel presented the story as a major investigative exclusive, focusing on the undercover operation and the brazenness of the smuggler. It highlighted the failure of the asylum system and the Home Office's response, with detailed footage of the confrontation and the smuggler's recorded boasts. The tone was critical of the situation, emphasising the gap between the law and the reality on the ground.
- “Don't worry if you get a ticket from the police, I will pay it for you. Don't worry about anything in this city. We know everyone in this city, this city's ours.”
- “Do the home office know your real identity Twana Jamal? Yes. The home office know that you're a convicted people smuggler. Smuggler? Yeah. I never.”
- “No one here suspected that a smuggler who'd made millions was serving them in their local shop. Now, the focus is on how many others might be hiding behind businesses in the UK.”
Bulletin Timeline
Chronological list of news reports tracked for this story.