# Flights, visas, and kidnappers: The new migrant route to Britain

An episode of [The Story](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1501716010), 24 Aug 2026, 22 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/storiesofourtimes/e/6a884d5d49367c27e2df41be/media.mp3

The Times has discovered that thousands of migrants are using a new, hybrid route to try to come to the UK: legal flights and visas, combined with illegal border crossings. But most don’t make it; the smuggling gangs detain them in Libya, to use them as slaves or for organ harvesting. Our reporter went to meet them. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Shayma Bakht, news reporter, The Times Host: Luke Jones. Producers: Olivia Case, Julia Webster. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: We stop two small boats a day from reaching Britain, say French Further listening: Were 60,000 migrants intentionally let into Spain? Photo: Denise Kelly, Dana Chan, Getty Images. This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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