An Albanian people smuggler has been jailed for attempting to sail a yacht full of Albanian migrants into the UK.
Eduard Mucaj piloted the yacht across the North Sea from the Netherlands, despite having no safety equipment or navigational devices.
The yacht was carrying more than three times its capacity and was fitted with a faulty engine.
Mucaj, 50, set sail from Den Oever in the Netherlands in the early hours of 9 August last year.
Eduard Mucaj smuggled people to the UK in his yacht
Home Office
Eduard Mucaj jailed
Home Office
He was tracked by Dutch authorities who monitored the yacht’s movement as it sailed towards Lowestoft in Suffolk.
The yacht was intercepted two days later by a Border Force patrol vessel as it entered UK waters.
Border Force officers found a dozen migrants, including an eight-year-old child, crammed below deck.
None of those on board had life jackets or harnesses, apart from Mucaj, who was seen at the helm wearing a life jacket, waterproofs and boots.
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Yacht used to smuggle migrants
Home Office
Two of the migrants hidden in the boat had previously been handed deportation orders and were banned from entering the UK. They have since been removed from the country.
Mucaj was arrested for facilitating illegal entry to the UK and attempting to arrive in the UK himself without valid entry clearance. He later pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday.
Minister for Illegal Migration, Michael Tomlinson said: “Evil people smugglers will go to any length to profit from people seeking to reach our shores illegally. This shocking case saw lives recklessly endangered, with people crammed on board a death-trap with no regard for their safety or the law.
“I’d like to thank our officers and Dutch counterparts for their cooperation and hard work that has taken place to swiftly put this criminal behind bars.
Border Force intercepts yacht
Home Office
“We are working relentlessly to stop the boats and ensure those responsible for dangerous smuggling attempts not only face the full weight of the law, but have their entire business model dismantled.”
The Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigation team worked closely with their Dutch counterparts to gather evidence in the aftermath of the smuggling attempt.
Authorities in the Netherlands were able to provide evidence that linked Mucaj to the purchase of the yacht.
Chris Foster, Deputy Director of Criminal and Financial Investigations at the Home Office, said: “People smugglers are going to increasingly extreme lengths to bring people into the UK illegally.
“Today’s sentence reflects the severity of this brazen smuggling attempt that spanned over 120 nautical miles of open seas.
“I want to thank my teams who work tirelessly to investigate those responsible for these crimes and ensure they are brought to justice.”