UK law enforcement, in collaboration with Bulgarian authorities, has successfully intercepted a significant number of maritime equipment intended for criminal gangs facilitating illegal Channel crossings.
According to a press release, this joint effort between the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), the Home Office, and the Bulgarian National Customs Agency has led to the seizure of hundreds of boats, engines, and other equipment used by people smugglers over the past 12 months.
In total, 33 separate interceptions have resulted in the confiscation of 125 dangerous inflatable boats, 128 outboard engines, more than 700 pumps, and 300 rubber rings, valued at approximately ÂŁ16.6 million in lost profits for the criminal organisations.
Adrian Matthews, NCA Director of Intelligence, highlighted the significance of these operations: “Taking this equipment out before it can reach them not only disrupts their activities and hits their profits, but it also prevents these lethal boats and under-powered engines being used at sea where lives are at risk.”
A key moment in the operation occurred earlier this month, when UK officers participated in a joint exercise at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing in southern Bulgaria. The exercise included training, intelligence sharing, and targeted searches of vehicles and freight, which resulted in the discovery of 10 Chinese-made outboard engines hidden among a shipment falsely declared as furniture.
This strategic border, one of the busiest in Europe, is a prime target for human traffickers and smuggling gangs.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Angela Eagle, praised the collaboration, stating: “This work shows what can be achieved through international cooperation to go after the criminal smuggling gangs making millions out of small boat crossings… Thanks to the efforts of the NCA, Border Force, and other Home Office staff, our borders are more secure and more lives have potentially been saved.”
The NCA says it continues to coordinate closely with international partners, particularly in regions like Bulgaria, to tackle organised immigration crime and disrupt the smuggling networks responsible for illegal crossings.
Froth: need to stop the pull factor. But the government won’t do the needful. And that is to build a prison in sunny South Georgia where all illegals are sent within 24 hours. All foreign born convicted of a criminal offence to be deported together with all dependents and family. Only offshore legal appeals allowed.
But, that would be the sensible thing to do. This current generation of politicians in the major parties seem hesitant to do it.
Sounds sensible – better to stop them getting into the water, than to work out how to intercept them once they launch. And more humane too.
EU should be on this, if they wanted to save life and bust organised crime.
I think the EU see it as not their issue, they’re leaving the EU after all. There are probably a good few EU country politicians that want to look the other way because once they’re here, they aren’t their problem anymore.
So this was started by the NCA12 months ago,guess who will claim the credit?🤔
That’s the thing about complex problems, however much you want it to be so there is never a silver bullet you have to hit it at every angle. When I taught management of complex risks I would always get people to image the thing that could go wrong as a big sponge ball..you attack it one way all you do is deform the risk to one side, to actually reduce a risk you have to squeeze it from all sides, think of every possible way you can attack it however small. that is why I hate the present debate on… Read more »