Another 'Brexit win'? People smuggler convicted in France found by BBC living in UK and seeking asylum

I am a bit surprised that this story from a couple of days ago hasn't been flagged up here on N & P.

It is the result of a BBC investigation, something I find quite impressive in view of much popular condemnation of the BBC.

The BBC investigation found that the people smuggler was living in the UK and had actually applied for asylum.. which is quite startling in itself, but a key point was made in the BBC article:

Since Brexit, the UK no longer has a data-sharing agreement with many countries in the EU, making it more difficult to check criminal and immigration records of asylum seekers, according to Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union.

"If we were able to share databases, even if just with our nearest neighbours, with Germany, with Belgium, with Holland and France, say - then, yes, we'd know that they had a conviction for people smuggling," she said.

Asylum seekers are fingerprinted on arrival in the UK and checked against UK police databases, but these would not necessarily show a conviction from another country.

Since Brexit... another win for Leave voters, the inability of the UK to obtain information of convictions in EU countries?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clye9zn0y1ro?

I note that on Bluesky it has been pointed out that The Times has run with this story, with the headline "Brexit lets people smugglers move to UK",' It was in the print version though it is no longer available on their web page.

bsky.app/profile/13sarahmurphy.bsky.social/post/3mppyqkisn22j