2 hours ago "I never, I never": Watch Twana Jamal's absorption erstwhile BBC confronts him astir radical smuggling
BySue Mitchell and Paul KerleyBBC News
Two Leicestershire mini-marts linked to a convicted radical smuggler exposed successful a BBC probe person been closed by the section council.
Twana Jamal, erstwhile described arsenic "the godfather" of migrant camps successful bluish France, was precocious confronted by our reporting squad portion moving 1 of the stores, successful Blaby connected the outskirts of Leicester.
Reporters had witnessed him working illegally astatine some shops, making deliveries, driving a BMW without a licence, and seemingly utilizing a mendacious name.
The shops - some called Candy Corner - person present been unopen for 72 hours by the section council, Blaby District, nether anti-social behaviour laws. An exertion for a three-month closure volition beryllium made astatine Leicester Magistrates Court connected Monday 6 July.
Jamal is believed to person been seeking asylum successful the UK. He told america helium had applied and was "still waiting". It is not known what sanction helium utilized connected immoderate application.
UK instrumentality says anyone who has spent 12 months oregon much successful situation overseas should beryllium refused asylum.
The Iraqi Kurd was fixed a five-year jailhouse condemnation successful France successful 2016, wherever authorities described him arsenic 1 of the astir palmy radical smugglers ever caught - earning up to £100,000 a week from moving amerciable immigrants crossed the Channel.
At that time, the mode of question preferred by cross-channel smugglers was freight lorries alternatively than tiny boats.
One of 2 shops successful Blaby, Leicestershire, that person present been closed
Jamal claimed successful tribunal his had been a lawsuit of mistaken identity, but helium was recovered blameworthy and told helium faced deportation backmost to Iraqi Kurdistan aft his release.
The BBC precocious received a tip-off that helium was successful the UK and claiming asylum. We tracked him down to Leicester.
"We cognize everyone successful this city, this metropolis is ours," helium boasted to a interaction successful a signaling shared with the BBC.
He added that helium was making "good money" and determination was enactment to beryllium had "moving cigarettes" from a warehouse - paying £300 per job.
"No-one touches america here," helium said. "Even the constabulary won't halt you."
Over respective days past period successful Blaby, a BBC squad watched comings and goings astatine the 2 mini-marts, which sold vapes and sweets until precocious successful the evening.
Twana Jamal successful a French courtroom successful 2016, wherever helium received a five-year sentence
After we published our investigation, 2 section Liberal Democrat councillors said they had antecedently reported the stores, but that nary enactment appeared to person been taken.
One, Paul Hartshorn said helium had made 5 reports astir the selling of amerciable vapes to Leicestershire County Council, portion another, Sue Jordan, said she had alerted Trading Standards 3 times.
In a statement, Leicestershire County Council told america that it continues to enactment successful concern with constabulary and Blaby District Council to tackle precocious thoroughfare transgression and related offences.
"We person hundreds of reports astir the merchantability of amerciable baccy and amerciable vapes and enactment connected the quality we have," it added. "This is simply a hugely challenging concern nationally and on with our partners we instrumentality it precise seriously."
To Catch A King - occurrence 8
Sue Mitchell and Rob Lawrie spell connected the hunt for Twana Jamal.
One of the shops that has been closed is adjacent to the constituency bureau of the section Conservative MP for South Leicestershire, Alberto Costa.
He described Jamal's actions arsenic "utterly unacceptable" and said helium had contacted Leicestershire Police to inquire what the unit intends to bash with the BBC's findings - adding helium would besides beryllium raising them with the Home Office astatine the "highest level".
"Let's beryllium wide this antheral should not beryllium successful Blaby, should not beryllium successful this country," said Costa. The information Jamal had been moving a concern adjacent doorway to a subordinate of parliament's constituency bureau "speaks volumes astir the quality of this individual".
In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: "Local officers are moving with the section authorization and volition person proactive patrols successful spot implicit the weekend."
Watch: How the BBC tracked down a convicted radical smuggler surviving successful the UK
Jamal's beingness successful the UK raises superior concerns astir whether existing borderline controls are effectual successful checking asylum seekers who person committed superior crimes overseas.
Immigration officers person told the BBC that since the UK near the European Union, it has go much hard to cheque transgression records from immoderate different countries.
Jamal's lawsuit is not isolated. Our probe has recovered much than 20 different radical smugglers surviving successful the UK. Law enforcement officers successful Europe person confirmed 15 of those cases - including immoderate with convictions from courts successful France, Germany and Belgium.
Asylum seekers are fingerprinted and checked against UK constabulary records, but these would not needfully amusement a condemnation from different country.
The Home Office told us: "All asylum claimants are taxable to mandatory information checks to corroborate their individuality for the intent of immigration, information and criminality checks."
It added that the UK has "a fig of agreements with countries which alteration the sharing of transgression grounds information", and that migration enforcement enactment is presently astatine its highest level successful history, with arrests for amerciable moving up 83%.
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