A smuggler followed behind the tragic journey of the Atlantic immigrants

In January, a migrant boat was rescued off the coast of North Africa after it lost 14 horrific days at sea. About 50 people died on the trip, many of whom lied by smugglers who promise in safe and legal ways to Europe. BBC Verify tracked one of the responsible travelers – documenting his activities across three continents.

Punjabi rap music plays on a video clip showing three men in a beach restaurant in the capital, Mauritania, Nactchot. One after another, smile in the camera before they turn to talk and laugh together.

The three are friends clearly. Two of them, Sufi Ali and Ayaf Shahzad, a cousin from the rural Pakistan.

But he is the third man in particular who dominates the conversation. It is Fadi Gogar, a people’s smuggler.

The video – posted on the Tiktok account in Gujjar – is one of more than 450 clips analyzed by BBC, verifying evidence of his activities and close relationship to other men.

Within a month of this video posted on the Internet, Ali and Shahzad died – they were beaten to death on the boat journey that was sold to them by Googar, who promised a safe way to Europe.

Meanwhile, Googar found himself fleeing, Required by the Pakistani Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) For his role in the tragedy.

When the BBC called him to verify him on the phone number obtained from the survivors, Googar said repeatedly in a series of voice notes, his name was “abuse” by survivors regarding the disaster and that he was leaving everything in the hands of God.

Fadi Googar is from Jura in the Pakistan Punjab region. In his thirties, his real name is Khawar Hassan – although he also goes to Bishi Gjar.

Pakistani smugglers The British Broadcasting Corporation has already informed It tends to declare amazing illegal ways to Europe online.

But Googar is keen. Its presence online is limited to the very edited videos of his trips, and almost all BBC customers are identified by Gurra. His services appear to be spreading with an oral word.

Its current location is set on Facebook on Istanbul, Türkiye – an oasis for smugglers looking to make a fast -back. The videos that were published in Tiktok have been published in the city since July 2022, which appears the smuggler outside the famous Hagia Sophia and a Pakistani supermarket.

One of the other sites stands out: Mauritania on the Atlantic Coast in West Africa – the nerve center for its operations and the place from which the migrant boat began its risky journey.

Since 2023, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that Mauritania has become a center for people who are blowing – driven through a campaign on other roads.

The road is dead. The data of the International Organization for Migration shows that 170 people – including 14 children – died or lost this year.

Many Pakistanis are looking for economic opportunities in Europe ready to bear the risks. Life is glorifying online by immigrants who already live on the continent. Smugglers like Gujjar, who nourishes their profitable work from people’s aspirations, benefit from this.

These immigrants take gambling, using their families’ savings or selling to take this trip. The survivors we spoke to, on average, say they paid a $ 13,000 (10,000 pounds).

There are no direct flights from Pakistan to Mauritania, so some immigrants were transported through Ethiopia or the Middle East. From there, almost all of them went to Senegal, before crossing to Mauritania, either by road or a short boat trip along the Senegal River.

The date of travel at Gujjar – which was obtained by BBC through a source – showed that the smuggler follows a similar road, and entered Dakar Airport in Senegal on two occasions in 2024.

Multiple videos are also placed in the Mauritanian capital Noukchott from October 2024 – although the download date may vary when they were photographed.

More clips, which were published to Tiktok by Ali and Shahzad, in Mauritania early August 2024. The trio is seen on the roofs of sandy buildings in Noukchott and in restaurants throughout the city – other immigrant immigrants were unable.

Videos from their accounts reveal that men were close to the same village. Their uncle, the best Shahzad Chaudhry, confirmed the BBC verification that his Sufi nephew Ali was a friend of Gujjar.

One of the survivors, Ozar Bhatt, said that Googar had a false and legal ways to Europe. The BBC has sent verification of proof of money transferred to a bank account under the real name of Gogar, Khawar Hassan.

But when isolation reached Mauritania, the smuggler retreated.

“Going to air will not work from here. I will send you a large ship,” Ozir recalls. “Please cooperate, your visa (to Europe) will not come.”

Ultimately, Ozer declined.

In addition to Ali, Shahzad and Ozer, the BBC has determined the verification of two immigrants who bought trips from Gogar.

Once they reach Noukchott, they say they were placed in “safe homes” – a term used for cut buildings in the mysterious alleys where migrants are illegally detained by smugglers.

One person who used a different agent said he also remained in safe homes run by Gujjar.

BBC confirmed the verification of one location to an area near the Noukchott port, which the survivors say Gujjar has sometimes visited.

Survivors from BBC spoke to check that they set out from Nouakchott in a small hunting boat in the early hours of January 2. Most of these bought the escalators’ passages in their hometown in Pakistan.

However, the three -day trip turned into a two -week fatal trip.

Ozir said that since the day they left the port, the immigrants were “constantly getting out of the boat.” Another man, Bilal Iqbal, recalled that the passengers soon began “drinking sea water and after drinking it, people became delirium.”

According to the survivors, the crew on the plane – West Africa is working by smugglers – hunted Pakistani immigrants from food and water, and hitting them daily.

“I tried to take one of their water bottles, so they hit me on his head with a rope and the effect made me retreat,” Iqbal told the BBC. “Then they hit my thumb with a hammer. I still have these wounds.”

His uncle said that Sofyan Ali and Tif Shahzad died after they were beaten to death by the crew. He was informed of the circumstances surrounding their death by the survivors.

Others died due to hunger, dehydration and body lack.

Those who are still alive, including the crew, have surrendered until they saw a much larger fishing bowl. Ozza jumped into the ocean and swim towards it for help.

The Coast Guard ordered the ship to take the migrant boat to an income port – 60 miles away. According to the International Organization for Migration, 15 dead bodies were found on board while 35 people are still missing at sea and assumed dead.

The Pakistani authorities are appointed as one of the ten smugglers involved in the tragedy. Some were arrested, but not Googar.

The BBC has been investigating his latest participation in Tijok to Baku, Azerbaijan – although we cannot say with certainty if he is still there.

Since the outbreak of the rescue, his mother and brothers have been detained in Pakistan, accusing of collecting money on behalf of Googar from people who buy roads to Europe.

The BBC also witnessed the verification of six police reports presented in Punjab by the families of those on the boat trip. They claim that Gougar raised $ 75,000 (56,000 pounds) for his role in the January disaster. Police reports said that three people were fully driven, while the remaining three were only paying deposits.

We believe that Googar still facilitates flights to Europe after the boat disaster in January.

Gujjar called by the BBC fast correspondent in March using a survivor’s phone number, and Googar said he “knows a person” will help in arranging a trip, but he did not present the participation directly.

Participate in additional reports by Dilay Yaçin, Javid Sumroo and Joshua Cheetham.