People smuggler convicted of £1.5m small boats op

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.

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.

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.