Latest news with #JulianHarriman
Telegraph
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Ukrainians caught trying to bring in migrants on yacht
Ukrainian people smugglers have been caught attempting to bring migrants illegally into the UK by yacht. The yacht, carrying four Albanians and a Vietnamese national, was intercepted by a Border Force cutter off the Isle of Wight on Sunday afternoon. It is the latest attempt to smuggle migrants into the UK by yacht where, unlike with small boats, they can make a clandestine entry into the UK without their details being logged by Border Force and immigration officials. Its crew, two Ukrainian men aged 43 and 37, were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration, said the National Crime Agency (NCA). The five passengers were detained under immigration laws. Julian Harriman, the senior investigating officer, said: 'This operation was part of an ongoing NCA investigation led jointly with French judicial authorities and Gendarmerie Nationale. 'Tackling people smuggling gangs remains a priority for both France and the United Kingdom.' The interception came as an Albanian people smuggler was jailed for seven years and 10 months for also using a hired yacht to try to bring 21 migrants across the Channel. Bleda Bega, 44, was captaining the yacht as it sailed towards the south west coast of England. It was intercepted by Border Force on Sunday April 13 where officers discovered the 21 passengers comprising 20 men and one woman, all Albanian nationals. Dame Angela Eagle, the border security minister, said: 'This sentence shows Border Force work to tackle attempts to enter the UK illegally by these criminal smuggling gangs. They have been using state of the art technology and surveillance capabilities. 'This government has put forward a serious, credible plan to restore order to our asylum system, including tougher legislation, increased returns and enhanced enforcement activity to target illegal working. 'Anyone who seeks to smuggle people into the country in this way faces arrest, prosecution and a jail sentence.' 'Low-risk' yachts A former soldier turned people smuggler said earlier this year that yachts were still being used because of the low risk of being caught at marinas that could be protected with no more security than a caravan site. The ex-soldier, who the BBC named as 'Nick', said he had chosen to speak out because he was 'angry' he had been jailed for a crime that was still very possible to commit. He claimed to know people who, in the past year, had used the same routes and methods as him. The smuggling routes – whether by yacht or ferry – were 'easy' and 'low-risk', he said. Border Force is responsible for securing the 11,000 miles of UK coastline, but the security of harbours and marinas rests with private operators, Charlie Eastaugh, the force's director of maritime, told the BBC. 'We patrol 24/7, we carry out proactive, as well as reactive, operations,' he said – citing the luxury yacht, hiding the 20 Albanians below deck, which was intercepted en route to Newquay in Cornwall last month.
ITV News
22-07-2025
- ITV News
Yacht carrying suspected illegal migrants intercepted off Isle of Wight coast
A yacht carrying suspected illegal migrants has been intercepted in the English Channel. The boat had travelled from northern France and was picked up off the coast of the Isle of Wight and escorted into Gosport Marina in Hampshire by a Border Force cutter on Sunday 20 July. It was part of an operation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA). The crew of the vessel, Ukrainian nationals aged 43 and 37, were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration. Five passengers, four Albanian nationals and a Vietnamese national, were arrested for immigration offences. All seven are now being questioned by NCA investigators. NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Julian Harriman, said: "This operation was part of an ongoing NCA investigation led jointly with French judicial authorities and Gendarmerie Nationale, which has been supported by Border Force. "Those arrested remain in custody. "Tackling people smuggling gangs remains a priority for both France and the United Kingdom and we are determined to do all we can to target, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved."
BBC News
21-07-2025
- BBC News
Seven immigration arrests after yacht found off Isle of Wight
Seven people have been arrested after a yacht carrying suspected migrants was intercepted in the English boat, which came from northern France, was found by a Border Force cutter off the Isle of Wight on Sunday afternoon, the National Crime Agency (NCA) crew, two Ukrainian men aged 43 and 37, were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal passengers - four Albanians and a Vietnamese national - were also detained under immigration laws. Senior Investigating Officer Julian Harriman said: "This operation was part of an ongoing NCA investigation led jointly with French judicial authorities and Gendarmerie Nationale."Tackling people smuggling gangs remains a priority for both France and the United Kingdom."The seven suspects remain in custody. The boat was taken to Gosport Marina. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
