BBC - Violent Channel smuggling gang's French and UK network

It will lead to a massive international investigation, but top work by the BBC.

"We have managed to identify three men - Jabal, Aram and al-Millah - all Iraqi-Kurds, who are believed to lead the outfit, which is one of the main groups in northern France transporting people to the UK by small boat.

We have also come across other senior figures, including a man called Abdullah, whom we witnessed shepherding groups of migrants towards boats.
Another gang member, Besha, who had escorted migrants in France, took a small boat to the UK himself, we learned, ending up in a migrant hostel in West Yorkshire having claimed asylum.

The findings are the culmination of months of undercover fieldwork and the creation of multiple fake identities to engage with the smugglers.

We have been able to build a detailed picture of the gang's tentacle-like structure and the ways it has successfully evaded the police.

Our investigation began in April 2024, after we witnessed French police trying to stop the gang from launching an inflatable boat into the Channel.

In the chaos, five people were trampled to death onboard, including a 7-year-old girl named Sarah

all quotes from
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly48nmmzdro

I'm wondering it its interpol, or a special European wide task force will take it up.

We saw that Wyllow and it begs the question why the BBC has managed to expose them when the authorities seem unable to do so .

There will be plenty more to take their place. Too many are making lots of money from this. It’s the tip of the iceberg.

Smileless2012

We saw that Wyllow and it begs the question why the BBC has managed to expose them when the authorities seem unable to do so .

The authorities do a lot, but they don't publicise their successes. The government has just given the National Crime Agency £million, some of which will go towards the recruitment of 300 more agents. They work very closely with Interpol.

Good to know growstuff.

Patrick Christys of GB News uncovered these people smugglers a few weeks ago. He has reported everything he uncovered and nothing has been done yet as far as he knows.

youtu.be/rqFgnjxS3b0?feature=shared

Primrose53

Patrick Christys of GB News uncovered these people smugglers a few weeks ago. He has reported everything he uncovered and nothing has been done yet as far as he knows.

youtu.be/rqFgnjxS3b0?feature=shared

He won't be told. The National Crime Agency doesn't publicise active investigations.

Thanks Wyllow3
I'd missed this.

And I'm sure you are right growstuff

NotSpaghetti

Thanks Wyllow3
I'd missed this.

And I'm sure you are right growstuff

My daughter works for the NCA. She's not allowed to say much - in fact, she doesn't have security clearance to know details of most operations. However, I do know that investigations into people smuggling are ongoing and are often successful, but their aim is to catch the big guys.

Here are some of the NCA's outcomes:

www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/component/tags/tag/people-smuggling

Smileless2012

We saw that Wyllow and it begs the question why the BBC has managed to expose them when the authorities seem unable to do so .

My question too when I watched the BBC news.

Allira

Smileless2012

We saw that Wyllow and it begs the question why the BBC has managed to expose them when the authorities seem unable to do so .

My question too when I watched the BBC news.

The authorities have exposed - and charged - some of them. (See my link above.)

The NCA has just been given funding to recruit another 300 officers.

Good.

However, the criminal gangs always seem to be one step ahead.

Allira

Good.

However, the criminal gangs always seem to be one step ahead.

They wouldn't do it if they thought they'd always get caught, but at least they're not two steps ahead and a higher risk of being caught will deter some of them.

This government should be given more credit, reading what you said, growstuff. this is big news.

However. I only found out because it actually appeared as "newsflash" across my Safari screen, and it rarely does that unless it's big news, so I followed it up into I player... means its been given international signfficance.

Primrose, do read the full I player news. Gb news announced the new measures, eg puncturing the boats and so on.

The BBC actually conducted the investigation, with undercover investigators travelling with the smugglers at great risk and finding out their contact networks themselves.

Primrose53

Patrick Christys of GB News uncovered these people smugglers a few weeks ago. He has reported everything he uncovered and nothing has been done yet as far as he knows.

youtu.be/rqFgnjxS3b0?feature=shared

I watched the GB News video about this. It's not true that nothing has been done. The GB News presenter said that the French police had broken up a camp.

All he discovered were the location of a camp and the faces of a couple of "little guys". The BBC report discovered an actual network, including a contact in the UK. It uncovered one way money is transferred, which is probably already known.

The NCA discovers more than that, including where boats are stored and the addresses of the organisers, so that arrests can be made.

Perhaps amateurs like Christys should leave it to the professionals.

In the same way those baying for blood re abuse of young women have inadvertently made things worse.

Do wonder if relevant authorities really try. Thats what they are paid for. It is like the boats coming over, how simple to damage them before they journey across the channel but thats too easy..

My guess is that there are a significant number of gangs organising crossings, not necessarily linked to each other. The more investigators there are, whether undercover from journalistic sources, French, or British authorities, the better, because there is more chance of catching them if different methods are used. I just hope nobody gets killed, as the leaders are obviously ruthless.

Allsorts

Do wonder if relevant authorities really try. Thats what they are paid for. It is like the boats coming over, how simple to damage them before they journey across the channel but thats too easy..

They are now puncturing boats before they can set out as much as they can. However the conditions have to be very specific: puncturing the boats has to be done so the lives are not at risk. When the news item was announced this is what we saw and was described , exactly:

A whole team would/will go in.

One or two will puncture the "boat" and the others present are to make sure that no one drowns.

This means acting very very fast indeed: the people have to be in the process of boarding the boats.

It means that the team have to be at the location at the right time, and will such a long coastline, there clearly has to be previous intelligence as to where to strike, (or a good lead of luck)

So its not that they are "doing nothing" its that becuase of these particular circumstances, they can only do the best they can.

However, in principle, it is a huge step forward Allsorts

Allira

Good.

However, the criminal gangs always seem to be one step ahead.

That's what the French are saying, with a gallic shrug.
Like playing chess apparently.
Well, they need to sharpen their game moves over there. Dunkerque is hardly mountainous, inaccessible terrain. The people in the surrounding woods were wearing everyday trainers.

Allsorts

Do wonder if relevant authorities really try. Thats what they are paid for. It is like the boats coming over, how simple to damage them before they journey across the channel but thats too easy..

The relevant authorities are under- resourced. They have had their funding slashed over the last decade or so.

It's a similar situation with illegal workers. It wouldn't be rocket science to inspect all nail bars, car washes, Deliveroo drivers etc on a regular basis and ask for paperwork, but the police and local authorities just don't have the number of staff to do it.

Anyone with access to the French Press and Social Media will know that the French are absolutely furious about this deal. the general message being 'how dare they dictate to us when they have chosen to leave the EU- and why should we take back those who have chosen to get on small boats to get to UK'.