The ringleader of a notorious drug gang was granted the right to stay in Britain while in jail under the Windrush scheme.
Arif Bullici had been jailed three times for drug offences, with the first offence dating back to 1997.
However, an immigration tribunal heard the Turkish Cypriot was behind bars when the Home Office granted him “settled status” to remain in the UK in 2022, reports The Telegraph.
Bullici seems to have exploited the fact the scheme was also open to citizens of all Commonwealth countries, even though it was mostly known for citizens from the Caribbean who arrived on ships, notably the HMT Empire Windrush.
The 67-year-old has lived in the UK since 1980 after being born in Cyprus in 1959. He was granted indefinite leave to remain in 1982 but was first convicted in 1997.
Bullici was first sentenced to 14 years in prison, reduced to eight years on appeal. He was then jailed again in 2002 for 20 years for conspiracy to supply 100kg of heroin, and once more in 2015 for 25 years, which was reduced to 21 years on appeal.
When the Home Office had first tried to deport him in 2016 after he had been jailed for his third set of drug offences, he filed a series of human rights appeals against his removal.
Before his appeal was heard, he not only secured settled status under the Windrush scheme in 2022 while he was still in prison, but he also applied for the right to remain under the EU settled status scheme.
Arif Bullici was jailed in 2015
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Cyprus joined the Commonwealth in 1961 after gaining independence from Britain the year before.
Immigration judge at the tribunal Hugo Norton-Taylor said: “In light of [Bullici’s] criminality, the grant appears somewhat surprising, to say the least.”
Detective Inspector Colin Douglas of the Met’s Central Task Force, told the court: “In the days leading up to their arrest Arif Bullici, the principal conspirator, travelled to Cyprus where he orchestrated the importation of substantial quantities of heroin which he planned to distribute onto the streets of London at a vast profit.
“The sentences clearly reflect those roles and the danger they posed to society. My officers are rightly proud to have achieved these convictions, and with the sentences imposed by the judiciary.”
The most recent drugs bust from 2015
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The court heard how the tribunal will also be asked to judge on a human rights appeal.
It means while Judge Norton-Taylor dismissed Bullici’s substantive appeal, the prisoner cannot be removed from Britain because he has outstanding appeals before the First-tier Tribunal which have to be heard. In addition to this, they could also be subject to further appeal if rejected.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called it “yet more immigration law insanity.”
He continued: “The fact a Cypriot drug lord could use a scheme designed for people of Caribbean descent who had suffered injustice is absurd. This man should not be in the UK and he should be deported immediately.
“This goes to show that the way our immigration laws are being applied has been twisted beyond comprehension. Fundamental change is needed to put Parliament back in charge of the immigration system, not judges and lawyers.”