Reform UK's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf has demanded a relentless pursuit of corrupt officials after an Afghan people smuggler claimed to have contacts inside the British government who tip off gangs about security operations. The smuggler, known as Haji Ajmal, made the allegations in an interview with the Sunday Express, boasting that his network spans all of Europe and that he pays individuals within the UK government for information on checkpoints and police searches.
Smuggler's Claims of Government Complicity
Haji Ajmal, speaking from a secret location in Turkey, told the Sunday Express: "We have some people inside of the Government to report to us what's happening. They give us some information. This is not only in the UK. There are people in the border areas, border police, they have some kind of cooperation with us. There are some people who are taking money. They are helping us." He added that these contacts provide reports on security operations, such as checkpoints or police searches, allowing the gang to avoid detection.
Ajmal also goaded ministers, comparing politicians to smugglers for breaking promises on deportations. He said: "We have been hearing this for many, many years. There is concern about being arrested. But we have some people inside of the Government to report to us what's happening." He declined to specify how many contacts he has in the UK but claimed they are paid for their cooperation.
Zia Yusuf's Response
Mr Yusuf branded the claims an "outrage, but not surprising." He said: "A notorious Afghan illegal migrant smuggler has revealed he has 'contacts inside' the British government tipping them off on security checks in Dover, helping them to avoid detection. This is an outrage, but not surprising. We know the Tory Labour political class have aided and abetted the invasion of Britain."
He vowed that a Reform government would direct intelligence agencies and police to urgently investigate the claims. "Traitors found to be aiding and abetting the invasion of Britain will be relentlessly pursued and prosecuted under the Immigration Act 1971 and the Bribery Act 2010," he added.
Reform UK's Proposed Crackdown
Reform UK has outlined plans to tackle illegal immigration, including a new 'UK Deportation Command' that would use data from banks, the Home Office, HMRC, police, DVLA, and the NHS to identify every illegal migrant. During a six-month grace period, illegal migrants would be offered cash to leave the UK voluntarily. After that, immigration enforcement teams would carry out raids and detain them.
The party also proposes an Illegal Migration (Mass Deportation) Bill to bar illegal migrants from claiming asylum and impose a legal duty on the Home Secretary to remove them. Mr Yusuf said: "Reform will make aiding and abetting illegal entry into the UK a criminal offence, regardless of intent. We will call this 'The Polanski Law'. It's not just people smugglers facilitating illegal entry into Britain - charities in the UK such as Care4Calais brazenly provide services for people breaking immigration law."
He added: "Zack Polanski visited 'charities' in Calais last year and called for more illegal small boat migrants to be allowed into the UK. We will close this loophole in the current law by making it a 'strict liability offence' (intent will not need to be proven) for people to perform any act that assists or encourages illegal entry, punishable by up to 2 years in jail. This will stop the Labour, Tory and Green Party endorsed charity industrial complex from facilitating large scale illegal entry under the false premise of charitable action. We will secure our border."
Smuggler's Business and Demand
Ajmal, who has been smuggling people into and across Europe for 15 years, warned that demand for his services is increasing. He said: "If the situation in the security of countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine, Iran gets worse, of course, the demand is going to be high. The demand is increasing. People are leaving their countries. They would like to go to safer countries. This is our business."
He admitted to making a lot of money but noted high expenses. His network operates by passing migrants from one criminal to another at checkpoints, with the group rarely meeting. Asked if threats of a crackdown by the National Crime Agency and European allies would deter him, Ajmal said: "Demand is too high. There are a lot of people that are asking us to go to Europe. When demand is high, of course we will take the risk."
He also cited rumours among Afghan people of good hospitality in the UK, including hotels, as a reason for high demand. "The risk is more on the people, not us. These people are going by boats. That's the risk," he added.
Government Response
A government spokesperson responded: "If the Express has evidence of organised immigration crime, we urge them to provide it to the authorities whose officers have doubled the number of disruptions in the last year to well over 4,000. We are hitting the gangs harder than ever and from every angle – securing arrests and convictions, and seizing the criminal assets and money the criminals rely on."
