In January, an immigrant ship was rescued from the North African coast after 14 painful days of his life at sea. About 50 people died on the voyage, many of whom were lied by smugglers who promised a safe and legal route to Europe. The BBC verified that a person in charge had tracked a trafficker - documenting his activities on three continents.

Punjabi rap music played a video showing three men at a beachfront restaurant in the Mauritania's capital Nouakchott. One by one, they smiled on the camera and then turned around and chatted and laughed together.

These three are obviously friends. Two of them are Sufian Ali and Atif Shahzad, cousins ​​in rural Pakistan.

But this is the third person leading the conversation. He is Fadi Gujjar, a human smuggler.

The video - posted to Gujjar's Tiktok account - is one of more than 450 clips from the BBC's verification analysis, revealing clues about his activities and their close relationship with others.

Within a month after the video was posted online, Ali and Shahzad died of death - Gujjar sold them to be beaten to death, Gujjar promised a way to Europe.

Meanwhile, Gujjar is wanted in Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for his role in the tragedy.

When the BBC verified the phone number obtained from the survivor to contact him, Gujjar repeatedly said in a series of voices that his name was “abused” by the survivors in connection with the disaster, and he took it all in Allah’s hands.

Fadi Gujjar comes from Jaurah in the Punjab region of Pakistan. In his 30s, his name was Khawar Hassan - although he was also of Bishi Gujjar.

The BBC previously reported that Pakistani smugglers tend to promote illegal routes to Europe online.

But Gujer was careful. His online presence is limited to highly edited videos of his trips, and almost all clients' BBC verifications were determined to be Jaurah. Advertisements for his services seem to be passed down by word of mouth.

His current location on Facebook is set to Istanbul, Turkey - Oasis for smugglers who want to make money quickly. Videos posted to Tiktok have placed him in the city since July 2022, showing the iconic Hagia Sophia and smugglers outside Pakistani supermarkets.

Another location stands out: Mauritania on the Atlantic coast of West Africa - the neurological center of his operation and the place where the immigration ships embark on their dangerous journey.

Since 2023, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Mauritania has become a hub for people who are smuggled - stimulating people due to the suppression of other routes.

This route is deadly. IOM data shows that 170 people (including 14 children) died or disappeared this year.

Many Pakistan seeking economic opportunities in Europe are willing to take risks. Immigrants who have lived on the African continent are glorious online. Smugglers like Gujjar exploit people’s wishes, and these businesses are subject to their wishes.

These immigrants are using their family’s savings or selling their journeys to gamble. The survivors we talk to said they paid Gujjar $13,000 (£10,000).

There are no direct flights from Pakistan to Mauritania, so some immigrants transition through Ethiopia or the Middle East. From there, almost all of them went to Senegal and then went on a short excursion along Mauritania across the Seengal River.

Gujjar's travel history - obtained by the BBC through source verification - shows that smugglers follow similar routes and entered Dhaka Airport in Senegal twice in 2024.

Starting in October 2024, multiple videos also put him in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritani - although the upload date may be different from the date at the time of shooting.

As early as August 2024, Ali and Shahzad Place Gujjar posted other clips on Tiktok. As early as August 2024. The trio saw the trio on the roof of the sandy building in Nouakchott, among restaurants around the city – the other immigrants were the others.

Their account video shows that the people are very close and come from the same village. Their uncle Ahsan Shahzad Chaudhry confirmed to the BBC that his nephew Sufian Ali was a friend of Gujjar.

A survivor named Uzair Bhat said Gujel mistakenly assured him of a legal route to Europe. He sent a BBC verification fund proof to transfer to a bank account under Gujil's real name Khawar Hassan.

However, when Uzar arrived in Mauritania, the smugglers went back.

"He said the air along here wouldn't work. I'll send you a big ship," Uzar recalled. "Please cooperate, your visa (to Europe) won't pass."

Uzair finally gave up.

In addition to Ali, Shahzad and Uzair, the BBC verified two other immigrants who purchased their journeys from Gujjar.

Once they arrived at Nouakchott, they said they were placed in "safe houses," a term for buildings hidden in obscure alleys where migrants were illegally detained by smugglers.

A man who uses other brokers said he also lives in a safe house run by Gujjar.

The BBC verification confirmed the location of a person to an area near the port of Nuukjot, and survivors occasionally visit Gujjar.

Survivors BBC verified that they set out from Nockjort on a small fishing boat in the early morning of January 2. Most people on most ships purchased access from smugglers in their hometown of Pakistan.

But the three-day trip turned into a deadly two-week journey, drifting at sea.

Uzar said from the day they left the port, immigrants "continuously scaling the water from the ship." Another man, Bilalwal Iqbal, recalled that passengers quickly began to “drink sea water, and after drinking, people became disorganized.”

According to the survivors, the crew on board - West Africans hired by smugglers - starved Pakistani food and water migrants to defeat them every day.

"I tried to get a bottle of water, so they hit my head with a rope and the impact caused me to fall down," Iqbal told the BBC Verification. "Then they beat my thumb with a hammer. I still have those wounds."

Their uncle said Sufian Ali and Atif Shahzad died after being beaten to death by crew members. The survivor informed him of his death.

Others died of hunger, dehydration and hypothermia.

Those who were still alive, including the crew, had given up until they saw a larger fishing boat appear. Uzair Bhat jumps into the ocean and asks for help from his swimming.

The Coast Guard instructed the ship to take the migrant ship to the Dakra port 60 miles away. According to IOM, 15 bodies were found on the ship, while 35 people were still missing and believed to be dead at sea.

Pakistani authorities appointed Gujjar as one of ten smugglers involved in the tragedy. Some were arrested, but Gujjar was not there.

The BBC has verified his recent Tiktok post in Baku, Azerbaijan - although we can't be sure if he's still there.

Since the news of the rescue broke out, his mother and one of his brothers have been detained in Pakistan and are accused of collecting money on behalf of people who bought routes to Europe.

The BBC verification also saw six police reports submitted by family members on the boat trip in Punjab. They accused Gujjar of raising $75,000 (£56,000) for his role in the January disaster. Police reported that the three paid in full, while the remaining three paid only the deposit.

We believe Gujjar is still promoting a journey in Europe following the ship disaster in January.

Gujjar, who contacted through an undercover BBC reporter in March, used the phone number obtained by the survivor, said he "knows someone" and they would help arrange the journey but did not directly offer to get involved.

Other reports by DilayYaçin, Javed Sumroo and Joshua Cheetham.