Barzan Majid, an Iraqi listed among the "most wanted" globally, has become a topic of media discussion in Britain and beyond after a personal interview with him aired on BBC Radio's podcast, filled with dramatic details during the search for him. The interview took place in a café in the city of Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. So, who is Majid, nicknamed "the Scorpion," accused of leading a gang that has smuggled thousands to the United Kingdom?
Information suggests he is an Iraqi Kurd who, at the age of twenty in 2006, managed to smuggle himself to Nottingham in England in the back of a truck. Although he did not receive permission to stay in the country a year after his smuggling, he remained there for several years, some of which he spent in prison for crimes related to weapons and drugs. In 2015, he was deported back to Iraq, and shortly after his return, it is believed he "inherited" human smuggling operations from his older brother, who was serving a prison sentence in Belgium.
With his criminal successes in human smuggling, he was given the nickname "the Scorpion," and his name began circulating among those seeking illegal immigration to Europe, often accompanied by a scorpion image. He managed to control most human smuggling activities between European countries and the UK from 2016 to 2021, with 26 of his gang members convicted in courts across the United States, France, and Belgium. However, the "Scorpion" himself remained at large, continuing his activities.
Subsequently, a Belgian court sentenced Majid in absentia to 121 charges related to human smuggling. In October 2022, he was sentenced to ten years in prison and fined 968,000 euros, a fine that remains unpaid. Since that time, he has vanished from sight.
During the interview, which aired in eight episodes, Majid boasted that he had controlled the majority of human smuggling operations to Britain since 2016, making him one of the most wanted human traffickers in Europe. The journalists who sought to reach him traveled to covert truck pickup points in Calais, car washes in the UK, and even boatyards in Turkey. Eventually, upon learning that he was residing in Sulaymaniyah, they searched for him, and he later contacted them, agreeing to the meeting.
The program describes the "Scorpion" as appearing like a "wealthy golfer... dressed elegantly, in new jeans, a light blue shirt, and a black jacket," with carefully manicured nails. It is believed that the money he earns is invested in real estate and businesses. When confronted about the human smuggling crimes resulting in deaths, he said, "I’ve never put anyone on a boat and I've never killed anyone." When asked about the money he has amassed from these operations, he boastfully claimed: "One million dollars."
Interestingly, he denied practicing smuggling currently, but the program host noticed messages arriving on his phone containing numbers and passport images during their discussions.
Majid stated that he "loves nice cars and beautiful houses, lived a lavish lifestyle, and always had money - 200,000 dollars always under his bed." He mentioned that "one night, he made 500,000 pounds, having carried 56 passengers, with the minimum price for a truck being 9,000 pounds." He affirmed that "corruption within border control helped him greatly in his operations to reach the British shores," even offering a more secure service that costs a significant amount per person smuggled.
### The Smuggling Plan
The podcast reveals that the person to be smuggled heads to an exit gate reserved solely for employees at the port of Calais in northern France. Members of the "Scorpion" gang instruct the person to wear smart clothing and act confidently, informing them that the gate will open at 8 PM. Afterward, they must hide in a restroom building for 20 minutes, where one of the corrupt employees will enter and transfer them to the ferry, avoiding British passport checks. The Calais port authorities have refused to comment on these allegations presented by the BBC.
According to the Home Office, 120,000 people have reached the shores of the United Kingdom in this manner since 2020. Investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA) are collaborating with officers in Belgium to track down Majid, who has an arrest warrant issued against him in 2022. This podcast comes amid controversy over the government's new plan to send migrants to Rwanda.
