“A prolific Vietnamese people smuggler, who entered the UK illegally this year in a small boat, has revealed to the BBC that he forges visa documents for other Vietnamese individuals planning to make the same dangerous crossing. The man, known as Thanh, has spent nearly 20 years in the smuggling industry, having been in prison and led a gang in northern France. He claims to have assisted over 1,000 people in risking their lives to cross the Channel.
In a confidential interview with the BBC, Thanh described the lucrative nature of the smuggling business and the methods he uses to help Vietnamese migrants obtain fake paperwork for legitimate work visas in Europe. He emphasized that he does not provide forgeries for individuals seeking UK visas, but rather assists in the initial stages of their journey.
The interview took place in a secret location in a northern English town, with Thanh expressing concerns about being recognized by both British authorities and Vietnamese criminals in the UK. He shared details about his own journey from Vietnam to Hungary, then to Paris, and finally to the UK via a small boat crossing orchestrated by Kurdish gangs.
While Thanh initially claimed to have been trafficked to the UK to work off a debt, he later admitted that this story was fabricated as part of his asylum claim. He suggested that many Vietnamese migrants use similar false narratives to navigate the asylum process safely.
Migration experts have varying opinions on the prevalence of trafficking from Vietnam, with some highlighting the exploitation faced by migrants in the UK. Thanh’s story, though compelling, is met with skepticism in some areas, as doubts linger over certain aspects of his account.