A former police translator, Iraqi and Albanian gang bosses, a banker and a Chinese firm that supplies small boats are among the first to be sanctioned in a government bid to crackdown on migrant smuggling.
On Wednesday, the Foreign Office named 25 targets of its wave of sanctions aimed at key figures who assist illegal migration across the English Channel.
They include individuals, gangs and a small boat supplier in Asia as well as leaders the Government has identified as people smugglers based in the Balkans and North Africa.
They also hit “middlemen” putting cash through the Hawala legal money transfer system in the Middle East, which is used in payments linked to Channel crossings.
Albanian Bledar Lala, leader of the Belgian operations of an organised smuggling group, and a company in China that advertised small boats for people smuggling on an online marketplace are among the sanctioned.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said it was a “landmark moment in the Government’s work to tackle organised immigration crime (and) reduce irregular migration to the UK”.
“From Europe to Asia we are taking the fight to the people-smugglers who enable irregular migration, targeting them wherever they are in the world and making them pay for their actions,” he said.
“My message to the gangs who callously risk vulnerable lives for profit is this: we know who you are, and we will work with our partners around the world to hold you to account.”
The measures aim to target organised crime gangs wherever they are in the world and disrupt their flow of cash.
Penalties will include freezing bank accounts, property and other assets, to hinder their activities as well as banning those named from Britain.
It will be illegal for UK businesses and banks to deal with anyone named on the list.
The move follows legislation being introduced under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to ramp up enforcement powers for police forces and partners to investigate and prosecute people smugglers.
The full list of those sanctioned:
Goran Assad Jalal formed part of an organised crime group which stowed migrants in refrigerated lorries that crossed the English Channel from France to the UK on at least ten occasions between January and March 2019, the Foreign Office said.
Hemin Ali Salih, helped smuggle migrants into the UK in the backs of lorries.
Dedawan Dazey, a people smuggler who runs safe houses for migrants in Northern France.
Roman Ranyaye, an Iraqi people smuggler responsible for bringing migrants from Asia to Europe.
Azad Khoshnaw, for supplying inflatable boats, onboard motors and other maritime equipment.
Nuzad Khoshnaw, for equipping gangs in Northern France with small boats.
Nihad Mohsin Xoshnaw, for providing inflatable boats used by migrants to cross the Channel from France.
Muhammed Khadir Pirot, a hawala banker who controls payments from migrants in the Kurdistan region of Iraq to Europe via Turkey.
Mariwan Jamal, who controls money movements through a Hawala banker, which handles payments to people smugglers from migrants in Iraq.
Rafiq Shaqlaway, involved in hawala banking as an advisor to migrants looking to pay smugglers operating routes into Europe via Turkey.
The Kazawi Gang, a people smuggling network which controls routes from North Africa into the EU. They are “known to deal out harsh punishments to migrants who are unable to pay”, the Foreign Office said.
The Tetwani Gang, which is known as one of the Balkan’s most violent gangs. Members are reported to hold migrants for ransom and sexually abuse women unable to pay their fees.
Bledar Lala, who leads a ring moving people from Belgium across the Channel.
Alen Basil, a former police translator who “through violence and intimidation became boss of a large people-smuggling network”, the Foreign Office said.
Mohammed Tetwani, the head of the ‘Tetwani’ gang and self-styled “King” of Horgos in Serbia.
Yassine Al Maghribi Al-Kasaoui, the boss of the “Kazawi” gang.
The Kavač Gang, a Balkan organised crime organisation known to use fake passports to smuggle its members between the Balkans and Turkey.
Škaljari Gang, an organised crime ring in Montenegro that transports criminals between the Balkans and Turkey.
Dalibor Ćurlik, who is said to procure fake passports and forged documents for use by the Kavač gang.
Almir Jahović, member of the Kavač gang, which is involved in supplying fake passports.
Marko Petrović, a member of the Kavač gang which sources false identification and passports for use in people-smuggling.
Ratko Živković, a Škaljari Gang associate.
Nikola Vein helps the Škaljari Gang secure fake passports and travel documents for use in people-smuggling.
Dejan Pavlović, said to be member or close associate of the Škaljari Gang, which supports the supply of false identities.
Weihai Yamar Outdoors Product Co, a company based in China manufactures inflatable boats advertised for people smuggling, the Foreign Office said.
