The two Serbia-based infamous smugglers, both previously named in the Billund investigation, are among the 25 gangs and gangs in the Balkan Peninsula that were targeted by the direct sanctions imposed on alleged immigrant traffickers on Wednesday.
British Foreign Secretary David Lamy called the package a “groundbreaking moment in the government's work addressing organized immigrant crime (and reducing irregular migration to the UK).
Among the authorized individuals and groups is Alen Basil, a former police translator who had forced refugees with the help of Serbian police officers and ran a large smuggling network in Serbia, as Birn's investigation revealed in 2022.
Basil lives in a Serbian home worth more than 1 million euros and is found to be buying it with money taken from immigrants.
Also among the authorized people are the self-style “King of Horgos,” who run immigration camps in Hogos, northern Serbia, and gangs who smuggle people known for their violent treatment of refugees who declined from service or refused to pay.
Tetwani was named in the 2023 Billun Survey. This was approved by the Kazawi gang as well as by the UK as its suspect, Yasin al Magribi al-Kasawi.
Another name on the sanctions list is Bredararara, an Albanian suspect from an organized criminal group that smuggles immigrants from Belgium across the UK channel.
The list includes eight Balkan-based gang or gang leaders who are believed to be providing false passports to illegal immigrants.
They are the Kabak and Skarjali gangsters of Montenegrin, and six gang members: Daliber Karik, Armir Jahovic, Marko Petrovic, Nikola Bain, Ratko Zibkovic and Dejan Pablovic.
Gangs with other authorized entities
Both Tetwani and Kazawi were named in the 2023 Baan Survey.
Sanctions include freezing assets and banning travel.
The measure reflects growing public concern over the rise in irregular migration to the UK this year in Barrymena, Northern Ireland and Epping in eastern London.
It follows a serious riot in Southport, Wales last year. The latter was caused by false rumors that Muslim immigrants had killed three girls. The murderer was actually from Rwanda.
In 2024, about 37,000 people crossed the English Channel, and in 2025, more than 22,000 people have so far presented the government with a major bill on accommodation, increasing the reputation of the far-right Reform Party.
Government leaders welcome the new measures as a “landmark” event, but some people have questioned the possibility of their effectiveness.
They note that although the measure targets assets held in the UK, most gang leaders are likely to have most of their assets outside of the country.
