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Birmingham people smuggler convicted of £1.5m small boats operation

1 day ago


NCA A man with a black hat, blue sunglasses and wearing a short-sleeved shirt stands behind a car while looking at a phone. A man next to him in a white shirt holds out his hand to the phone. NCA

Pistiwan Jameel, right, was photographed meeting his client Artan Halilaj

A “prolific” people smuggler has been convicted after co-ordinating a £1.5m operation to transport migrants across the English Channel in small boats.

Pistiwan Jameel, of Birmingham, referred to migrants as “pigeons” and “sticks”, and used his contacts with gangs in France to arrange journeys for clients, while collecting payments in the UK.

He was arrested after helping Albanian national Artan Halilaj, 39, of London, to smuggle his relative Fiorentino Halilaj into the country on a small boat, in September 2023.

Jameel, 54, from Old Oscott Lane, pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitating illegal immigration at Birmingham Crown Court on December 20 2023.

Fiorentino Halilaj, 25, of no fixed address, admitted one count of the same offence.

Artan Halilaj, of Crosslands in Southall, London, had denied one count of facilitating illegal immigration, but was found guilty on Tuesday after a trial, also at Birmingham Crown Court.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said surveillance officers observed Jameel meeting with Artan Halilaj in Birmingham, on 1 September 2023.

NCA A mugshot of a balding man with strands of black hair at the back of his head. He is wearing a dark jacket and white shirt.NCA

Jameel pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitating illegal immigration

Following the meeting, during which cash was handed over, Jameel made a phone call and was heard saying, “My three passengers, all good to go, all okay”.

Fiorentino Halilaj crossed the Channel in a small boat the next day before immigration authorities took possession of his phone, which was handed to the NCA and found with Jameel’s number in the contacts.

Officers were able to listen in to Jameel’s side of conversations he had with associates, during which he would arrange crossings for his customers.

He also complained about the competition in the people smuggling market driving prices down and was heard claiming to have made at least $2m (£1.5m) for criminal networks through his contacts, the NCA said.

NCA A composite of two mugshots - the man on the left has black hair and black facial hair and is wearing a grey top. The man on the right is bald and is wearing a white shirt.NCA

Fiorentino Halilaj, left, and Artan Halilaj were convicted for facilitating illegal immigration

NCA branch operations manager Paul Jones, said: “It is clear from the evidence we were able to gather over the course of our investigation that Pistiwan Jameel was a prolific UK-based broker for people smuggling gangs in France.”

He said the true number of crossings Jameel facilitated would never be known, adding the evidence indicated he had been involved for a “considerable amount of time”.

The three men are due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on 3 December.



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