A people smuggler, who considered himself “the best” has been convicted of organising small boat crossings across the English Channel.

Organising his criminal network from his home in Stefano Road, Preston, Amanj Hasan Zada has been found guilty on three counts of facilitating illegal immigration and was jailed for 17 years at Preston Crown Court. 

Zada, 34, who was known by those he smuggled as Amanj Zaman, advertised his services on social media, as well as videoing himself partying whilst throwing cash in the air and fires a gun in celebration.

The video, thought to be filmed in Iraq, featured people singing he was the "best smuggler" and “all the smugglers have learned from him”.

National Crime Agency investigators were able to link him to three separate crossings from France to the UK in November and December 2023.

Each involved Kurdish migrants who had travelled through Eastern Europe, into Germany, Belgium and then France.

Another video posted on social media showed those he had successfully smuggled thanking him for his help, with one group of men in Italy praising him.

NCA officers were able to record conversations he had with other smugglers, discussing the movement of migrants, locations and successful crossings.

Following his arrest, his phone was seized and analysis showed it was linked to a number of social media accounts used to post material, and phone numbers to advertise his criminality.

He’d also had direct contact with some migrants who had come over on boats in 2023, with travel tickets found on the handset.

NCA Branch Commander Martin Clarke said: “Amanj Hasan Zada ran a sophisticated people smuggling enterprise, using social media to advertise his services.

“While we have uncovered evidence directly linking him to three specific crossings, there is no doubt in my mind that he was likely to have been involved in many more.

“For him it was all about profit, and he had no issues with putting people in life-threatening situations as long as he got paid.

“People smugglers like him risk lives, which is why we are determined to do all we can to stop them, wherever they operate.”

The National Crime Agency are continuing to put more resources into disrupting and dismantling the criminal gangs behind people smuggling than ever before.

They have around 70 ongoing investigations into networks or individuals in the top tier of organised immigration crime or human trafficking, those inflicting the highest harm, and who are the most difficult to reach. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to "smash the gangs" during the election campaign in a bid to tackle the issue of small boat crossings in the Channel.