Reports of Albanian migrants being advised on TikTok to pull out their teeth to access an easier-to-escape hospital in the UK highlight the desperate measures some individuals might take to avoid deportation. This alarming trend underscores the challenges faced by migrants and the complex issues surrounding asylum and immigration procedures. The situation raises concerns about the effectiveness of current policies and the ethical implications of such extreme tactics.
The advice given to Albanian migrants to pull their own teeth out in order to be transferred to a hospital more easily escaped from reflects the extreme measures some individuals are willing to take to avoid deportation. This guidance was reportedly shared by someone who had previously escaped from the Colnbrook Immigration Removal Center. The migrants, currently held at the center near Heathrow, face repatriation under a returns agreement between the UK and Albania, which facilitates the deportation of Albanian nationals found in the UK illegally.
The advice given included methods for smuggling pliers into the removal center and selecting jobs that might offer better escape opportunities. However, there is no evidence that these methods would be effective, although the men have previously managed to smuggle a mobile phone into the facility.
In a TikTok Live exchange observed by The Telegraph, four Albanian men, including individuals convicted of crimes, discussed the layout and security of Colnbrook Immigration Removal Center. Using the handle ‘Xhovani,’ one user, known as ‘The Sting,’ advised pulling out teeth to prompt a hospital transfer, claiming this would allow them to bypass CCTV. There is no public record of an Albanian escaping Colnbrook in 2018, and the security measures might have been enhanced since then.
The conversation also touched on ways to smuggle pliers into the facility and suggested that jobs in the kitchen or waste management could offer opportunities for escape if detainees gained the trust of security staff. TikTok’s community guidelines prohibit promoting criminal activities, and the platform stated it relies on authorities to report inappropriate accounts. The Home Office confirmed that no recent detainee escapes have occurred and emphasized that staff are well-trained with strict protocols to prevent such incidents.
