Europe’s Most Wanted Migrant-Smuggler Found: The Scorpion Unmasked
Europe’s most-wanted people smuggler, Barzan Majeed, has been tracked down in Iraq. Known by the code name “Scorpion,” Majeed was once a resident of Britain before being deported. His recent discovery has sent shockwaves through law enforcement agencies in the UK and Europe.
The Hunt for Scorpion
The pursuit of Scorpion began with a chance encounter in a migrant camp near Calais, France. A girl’s near-death experience while crossing the treacherous English Channel in an inflatable dinghy triggered an investigation. The dinghy, purchased second-hand in Belgium, lacked proper safety measures, and the 19 people onboard had no life jackets. The question arose: Who would endanger lives in this way?
The Elusive Smuggler
Scorpion’s identity remained shrouded in mystery until investigators noticed a recurring name on mobile phones confiscated from illegal migrants: “Scorpion.” Sometimes stored as a picture of the arachnid, this moniker led them to Barzan Majeed, a Kurdish Iraqi man. Majeed himself had been smuggled into England in the back of a lorry as a 20-year-old in 2006. Despite being denied leave to remain, he stayed in the UK for several more years, even serving time in prison for gun and drug offenses. Eventually, he was deported to Iraq in 2015. It is believed that he inherited the people-smuggling business from his elder brother, who was serving a jail sentence in Belgium. Thus, Scorpion’s gang controlled a significant portion of the people-smuggling trade between Europe and the UK from 2016 to 2021.
The Deadly Trade
The English Channel crossing is perilous, with over 70 migrants losing their lives attempting it by boat since 2018. Scorpion’s gang charged up to £6,000 per person for a boat crossing, and with nearly 30,000 people attempting the journey in 2023, the potential for profit was substantial. The tragedy of lives lost at sea underscores the urgency of dismantling such criminal networks.
Scorpion Unmasked
When confronted face-to-face in an Iraqi shopping mall, Barzan Majeed appeared inconspicuous, resembling an affluent golfer with manicured nails. His admission that he didn’t know how many migrants he had transported across the English Channel—whether a thousand or ten thousand—highlighted the callousness of his trade. Authorities in the UK and Europe continue to seek justice for the victims and dismantle the networks that exploit vulnerable individuals.
The Scorpion’s capture marks a significant milestone in the fight against human trafficking. As investigations continue, the world watches to see how justice unfolds for those who suffered at the hands of this elusive Europe’s smuggler.1
