Turkish national jailed for supplying small boats and engines to migrant smugglers

Savas shipped supplies from Turkey to Germany for storage, then transported them to northern France.

The Turkish national was also handed a £346,000 fine.

Three co-defendants were given sentences totalling 38 years.

Savas’ conviction follows a major investigation by the National Crime Agency, Belgian and Dutch authorities, who arrested him at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in late 2024.

The NCA described their operation as one of their "most significant investigations into organised immigration crime".

At one point, Savas was the NCA’s most wanted target and believed to have made millions from smuggling, charging £4,000 for packages of boats and engines.

In 2023, Savas is thought to have supplied half of the small boats used in illegal channel crossings.

NCA Director General of Operations, Rob Jones, said: “Adem Savas was without doubt the most significant supplier of boats and engines to people smuggling gangs involved in organising deadly crossings in the Channel, the head of a criminal network stretching across Europe to the beaches of northern France and across into the UK.

“He pretended to run a legitimate maritime supply company, but in reality he knew exactly how the equipment he provided would be used.

“He also knew exactly how unsuitable it was for long sea crossings.

“Boats and engines supplied by Savas were likely involved in numerous fatal events in the Channel – he made money from each of those."

Authorities found text messages on the 45-year-old’s phone boasting about supplying 1,000 small boat engines to Channel gangs.

They also found messages where he referred to himself as "the king of transport and export".

Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris, said: “Our brilliant National Crime Agency officers have worked alongside international allies to take down this smuggling kingpin and put him behind bars where he belongs.

“Through our new Borders Act, law enforcement now have strengthened powers to intercept, detain and arrest people smugglers, faster – restoring order and control to our borders."

In court, Savas acknowledged his guilt, but argued that he only started supplying people smugglers in August 2021, later than the 2015 that the prosecution alleged.

In a statement, Savas described himself as a hard-working businessman who inadvertently became involved with people smugglers.

He told the court he expressed deep regret after realising that he was supplying equipment to Channel gangs, insisting: "I have never personally smuggled people."

A total of 41,472 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats in 2025.

On Monday, GB News reported exclusively that the first small boat crossing of this year had taken place, with 32 small boat migrants arriving in Dover.