A man accused of migrant smuggling took part in a YouTube video celebrating his prowess in illegal immigration to Britain, a court has heard.

Amanj Hasan Zada, a 33-year-old Iranian, was shown smiling as his supporters called him a “first-class smuggler” and “the best agent”.

He was also hailed as “the chief smuggler” by singers who claimed “thousands of his enemies are afraid of him”, a jury heard.

The men then “promise” to start “packing,” adding that “if I go to Europe, I’ll call you.” At the end of the clip, the former asylum seeker is pictured firing a handgun into the air.

Hasan Zada, who currently lives in Preston, Lancashire, is alleged to have helped seven Kurdish Iranians travel to the UK in rubber dinghies, most of whom had no documents confirming their names or ages.

On one occasion he was filmed threatening to cut off a man’s legs after learning a family had been allowed to pay half the price, a court heard.

He is on trial for running a “lucrative” smuggling business that reportedly earned him six-figure sums.

The jury was shown a video of former asylum seeker Amanj Hasan Zada ​​(pictured) firing a handgun into the air.

Hasan Zada ​​was shown smiling as his supporters called him a “first-class smuggler” and “the best agent”.

But he denies the accusation, saying multiple mentions of contraband recorded on his mobile phones and on covert recordings after National Crime Agency officers placed a device in his car were references to transporting alcohol between Iran and Iraq.

Showing the video to jurors at Preston Crown Court, Steven Ball, prosecuting, said the musicians were “celebrating him with a song in Kurdish and the song is about smugglers”.

“The smuggler they are talking about is him and they call him Aman Zamanj; They describe him as “the best smuggler”, a courageous smuggler whose enemies fear him,” he added.

“Eventually, some members of the group fire their handguns into the air in a sign of manly approval. But this is not a fable or a folk song about tobacco, alcohol or precious stones.

Hasan Zada ​​is on trial at Preston Crown Court, accused of running a ‘lucrative’ smuggling business which is said to rake in six-figure sums

Hasan Zada ​​is on trial at Preston Crown Court (pictured)

“This is an entirely different commodity – human beings, those seeking to live in the West – and who are the subject of the defendant’s widely advertised smuggling services.”

Mr Ball told jurors Hasan Zada ​​had lived in the UK for more than eight years and was “well versed” in the asylum process.

He arrived here illegally and his first asylum request was refused before being granted asylum for five years in 2019.

Mr Ball said Hasan Zada ​​helped a number of Kurdish-Iranian men travel to the UK in rubber dinghies, with most of them having no documents to confirm their name or their age.

He described it as “a lucrative business,” referring in his phone calls and on social media to payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

NCA agents began secretly monitoring Hasan Zada ​​in December last year.

In the video, Hasan Zada ​​is presented as “the leader of the smugglers” by singers who claim “thousands of his enemies are afraid of him”, a jury heard.

A probe was placed in his vehicle and captured discussions about yachts, immigration camps, payment of passengers and the fate of those arrested.

The messages revealed how migrants were taken on tortuous journeys through Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France before arriving at aboard canoes which took them across the Channel.

Hasan Zada ​​claimed there were “fake profiles” on social media that had nothing to do with him.

But Mr Ball said: “The reality is that this defendant was surprised by his own communications which officers were able to capture.”

At the start of the trial, he warned the jury: “Unfortunately, illegal immigration through organized trafficking is a major problem facing this country and the subject can stir up strong emotions.

“Some of you may feel disgust at those who enter the country illegally without papers or even feel sorry for those who are trafficked and put in danger; or you can be angry at those who enrich themselves by manipulating or exploiting desperate people seeking a new life in the West.

“However, emotion should play no role in your consideration of the evidence.”

Hasan Zada ​​denies three charges of assisting the illegal immigration of seven people to the UK in November and December last year.

The trial continues.