The chilling footage was a stark window into the heart of a criminal enterprise: a party in Iraq, a singer praising ‘the best smuggler,’ cash thrown, a gun fired in celebration. This was Amanj Hasan Zada, brazenly flaunting his illicit empire, a man who saw human lives as mere commodities in a ruthless, profit-driven trade. His conviction marks a significant victory for law enforcement against the shadowy world of organized immigration crime, bringing an end to a sophisticated network that endangered countless lives for immense personal gain.
Who Is Amanj Hasan Zada?
Amanj Hasan Zada, a 34-year-old residing in Preston, UK, at Stefano Road, presented himself as an Iranian national while operating within Britain. However, his true origins trace back to Sangasar town in the Raparin administration area of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Beyond his criminal activities, no legitimate profession or association with any company or organization has been identified for Zada. He was the undisputed head of a complex organized crime group (OCG) specializing in people smuggling, operating under the alias Amanj Zaman. His journey into the UK was itself illegal, a fact that perhaps emboldened his subsequent criminal endeavors.
The Scheme Exposed
Amanj Hasan Zada orchestrated a highly sophisticated people smuggling enterprise that leveraged the reach of social media to advertise his perilous services. His primary focus was facilitating illegal crossings across the English Channel, moving Kurdish migrants who had journeyed through Eastern Europe, Germany, Belgium, and France into the UK. The network also extended its operations to transport individuals from Turkey into mainland Europe before their onward journey to the UK.
Zada’s modus operandi included posting videos of successful crossings online, often coercing migrants to express gratitude on camera, thereby serving as a twisted form of testimonial. A critical piece of evidence leading to his downfall was a 2021 video, believed to have been recorded in Iraq, which depicted him at a celebratory gathering. In this footage, a singer lauded him as ‘the best smuggler,’ proclaiming that ‘all other smugglers learned from him,’ while Zada demonstratively threw cash and fired a gun into the air. He also utilized various social media accounts to disseminate material and advertise contact numbers for his operations, maintaining a visible, albeit criminal, online presence.
The scheme involved a multi-layered network. Zada commanded a ‘sales team’ on the ground, tasked with recruiting migrants. Concurrently, a team managed his social media networks, often posting from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Migrants were directed to make payments for the crossings through a Hawala network—an informal, trust-based financial system notoriously difficult for law enforcement to trace due to its lack of accessible records. Once payment was confirmed, Zada would ‘release’ the migrants to continue their perilous journey. While directly linked to three specific crossings in November and December 2023, investigators firmly believe his involvement extended to many more. An NCA officer indicated that Zada’s social media posts suggested he was on his ’18th to 20th batch’ that year, hinting at the vast scale of his operations. His brother, Anjan Ahmadi, served as his right-hand man, coordinating transportation, communicating with migrants and other smugglers, and arranging travel tickets for various legs of the journeys.
Following the Money
The precise financial scale of Amanj Hasan Zada’s operation—the exact amount of money stolen, lost, or laundered—has not been publicly disclosed. However, NCA Branch Commander Martin Clarke underscored the motive, stating that for Zada, “it was all about profit,” and he showed no compunction in placing individuals in life-threatening situations as long as he received payment. The operation was characterized as a ‘sophisticated and professional operation’ with a ‘strong business model,’ indicating substantial illicit earnings.
While Zada was convicted for facilitating three specific crossings, the NCA’s intelligence suggests his involvement was far more extensive. The estimate of him being on his ’18th to 20th batch’ in a year, potentially with around 50 migrants per crossing, points to a vast number of individuals smuggled. Each boat within the broader network could carry 60 to 70 people. The victims, primarily Kurdish migrants, were often ensnared by deceptive promises via social media, assured that journeys were ‘100 percent safe,’ despite the inherent, deadly risks.
The Investigation
The primary agency responsible for bringing Amanj Hasan Zada to justice was the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the UK, with Interpol police also playing a role in his arrest. The NCA’s operation successfully dismantled a global people smuggling network, demonstrating robust international collaboration.
The unraveling of Zada’s criminal enterprise was a multi-faceted effort:
- Social Media Monitoring: Zada’s audacious use of social media platforms to openly advertise his services, including videos of successful crossings and his self-aggrandizing celebratory video, drew the attention of the NCA.
- Covert Tactics: NCA officers employed covert tactics, successfully recording conversations between Zada and other smugglers. These recordings captured discussions about migrant movements, locations, and the successful completion of crossings, providing crucial evidence.
- Phone Seizure and Analysis: Following his arrest in May 2024, Zada’s mobile phone was seized. Forensic analysis of the device unveiled multiple social media accounts dedicated to trafficking operations and direct communications with migrants. Travel tickets for one migrant were also discovered on his phone, further solidifying the case.
- International Collaboration: The NCA’s efforts extended beyond UK borders, collaborating with partners in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). This partnership led to the arrest of three other members of the network in Sulaymaniyah in January 2025, including two other people smugglers and a Hawala banker. This marked a significant milestone, as it was the first time the NCA had collaborated with internal security agencies in Kurdistan, following a landmark agreement with Iraq.
Victims Left Behind
The true victims of Amanj Hasan Zada’s criminal enterprise were the desperate Kurdish migrants he exploited. These individuals, often vulnerable and seeking a better life in Europe and the UK, were subjected to incredibly dangerous and life-threatening journeys across the English Channel. The criminal gangs like Zada’s operate with a callous disregard for human welfare, viewing migrants purely as a means to generate profit. The grim reality of this trade is underscored by the tragic statistic that more than 70 people lost their lives attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats in 2024 alone, a stark reminder of the extreme perils involved.
Justice & Consequences
Amanj Hasan Zada faced three counts of facilitating illegal immigration. After a rigorous two-week trial at Preston Crown Court, a jury returned a guilty verdict on all three charges. On November 8, 2024, he was sentenced to a substantial 17 years in prison, a testament to the severity of his crimes and the danger he posed. While specific information regarding asset freezes related to Zada is not publicly available, the investigation did include tracking the financial flow of the cash paid by migrants, indicating efforts to disrupt the economic underpinnings of his operation.
His brother, Anjan Ahmadi, also faced justice, receiving a sentence of five years and seven months in prison on October 27, 2025, after pleading guilty to facilitating illegal immigration to both the UK and the EU.
Lessons Learned
Amanj Hasan Zada’s case highlights several critical red flags that, in hindsight, pointed towards his illicit activities. His brazen use of social media to openly advertise his services, including videos of successful crossings and self-promotional content, was a significant warning sign. The video where he was glorified as ‘the best smuggler,’ coupled with his ostentatious display of wealth and firing a gun, clearly indicated his deep involvement in illegal endeavors and a blatant disregard for the law. The network’s false promises to migrants, assuring ‘100% safe’ journeys despite the inherent dangers of Channel crossings, epitomized their deceptive practices.
Furthermore, the reliance on the informal Hawala banking system for payments, a common tactic used by criminal organizations to obscure financial transactions and evade detection, was another clear indicator. The transnational nature of his operation, involving facilitators across multiple countries and the movement of migrants across numerous borders, underscored the sophistication and organizational structure of his criminal network. Finally, Zada’s own history as an illegal migrant entering the UK could have served as a potential precursor to his later involvement in such activities. These elements collectively paint a picture of a criminal enterprise that, while attempting to operate in the shadows, left significant breadcrumbs for investigators to follow. Readers should always be wary of individuals or groups making extravagant claims of easy passage or guaranteed safety for illegal immigration, especially when coupled with informal payment systems and a conspicuous online presence that glorifies illegal acts.
