Illegal immigrants are being smuggled out of Britain to avoid deportation – before being sneaked back in after gaining immigration status elsewhere in Europe . Using the ‘ asylum loophole ’ , people smugglers charge £1,000 per person to arrange trips to Europe , allowing illegal immigrants to gain legitimate paperwork . It means that if they are caught trying to return to Britain , they are not sent back to their birth country but to the European state that gave them their first asylum-seeking status . Illegal cargo : The migrants in the Romanian lorry which they boarded in Kent before it headed for Calais via Dover . The lorry was never searched and was said to have breezed through immigration controls in Britain and France . The lorry driver was confronted by reporters from BBC 's South East Today programme . The ruse was exposed by the BBC ’ s South East Today programme which was broadcast last night . Reporters contacted a gang of people smugglers – using a fixer called Ajmal – who agreed to take him out of the country and bring him back for £1,000 . Hidden cameras showed Ajmal getting on to a Romanian-based lorry in Kent before it headed for Calais via a Dover ferry . The truck was never searched and was said to have ‘ breezed ’ through immigration controls in Britain and France . Only hours later , Ajmal was released in Belgium along with 20 other illegal immigrants from India , Pakistan and Afghanistan . The report told how many of the illegal immigrants – and some who had outstayed their student visas – were told to make their way to Italy to apply for asylum . Once there they are fingerprinted and are able to gain immigration status , allowing them to lengthen their stay in Europe . If they are caught trying to return to Britain , they only face being returned to Italy or other European countries rather than their countries of origin . Many illegal immigrants were told to make their way to Italy to apply for asylum . John Vine , the former Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration , said : ‘ I don ’ t think people realise the extent of the trade of shipping people out of the UK to other parts of Europe and elsewhere in the world ' Less than two years ago , border officials spoke of their shock of people trying to smuggle themselves out of the UK . Asked how he would return to Britain , Ajmal said : ‘ When I want to go to the UK … he say “ ring my same number and I will tell you what to do and where you need to come – I will take you back to the UK ” . ’ Last night John Vine , the former Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration , said : ‘ I don ’ t think people realise the extent of the trade of shipping people out of the UK to other parts of Europe and elsewhere in the world . It is an issue the authorities need to look at very seriously. ’ In 2006 , Italy announced it would grant citizenship to immigrants who had stayed in the country for five years . However , it emerged that from January to August last year , 140,000 illegal immigrants had entered Europe via Italy . The eight-month figure was more than the entire total for the previous year . Less than two years ago , border officials in the UK told of their ‘ shock ’ at the ‘ very unusual ’ case of 28 illegal immigrants trying to smuggle themselves out of Britain . The immigrants from Bangladesh , Pakistan , Afghanistan and Sri Lanka hid on a Polish lorry on a P & O ferry bound for France . They were returned to Dover to be questioned at the Border Force immigration centre .
People smugglers charging £1,000 per person to exploit 'asylum loophole ' They smuggle illegal immigrants out of UK to avoid deportation . Take them elsewhere in Europe to gain legitimate status paperwork . If caught heading back to Britain will be sent back to European state . Ruse exposed by reporter from BBC 's South East Today programme .