Daily Mail

Coming to Britain? It’s all Albanians are talking about

... said Albanian people smuggler caught in Channel

- By Rebecca Camber Crime Correspond­ent

A PEOPLE smuggler was jailed for six years yesterday after he and eight migrants he brought across the Channel in a small open boat in midwinter had to be rescued.

When he and the others were plucked from stormy waters, Afrim Xhekaliu, 41, said: ‘Everyone in Albania wants to come to the UK.’

He was wearing a wetsuit and lifejacket with his dry clothes safely stowed in a waterproof bag. The eight soaked migrants he had brought on the treacherou­s journey were shivering with hypothermi­a.

Yesterday after Xhekaliu was convicted of facilitati­ng illegal immigratio­n, a coastguard video emerged showing the moment migrants clinging desperatel­y to his stricken rigid-hulled inflatable boat were saved by a lifeboat as their craft pitched wildly in the freezing, choppy waters.

He had researched buying inflatable boats on Facebook, but he had no idea how to navigate the English Channel. Xhekaliu was forced to call 999 after he got lost, ran out of fuel and his boat started to take on water.

As the boat was battered by high swells and 47mph winds, he told operators: ‘We are in the middle of the sea. We are in a boat... the waves are too big here.’

Footage taken from a search and rescue helicopter showed the terrified migrants shivering in thin casual clothing in the boat. When rescued, Xhekaliu claimed he was simply one of those seeking to gain entry to Britain. The callous people trafficker told paramedics: ‘Everyone I know in Albania talks about how to get here and how to get work.’

Lifeboatme­n rescued them on January 31 after they and the coastguard had spent more than four hours searching for the 22ft boat. It was towed to Eastbourne, East Sussex.

When rescued, Xhekaliu was standing by the boat’s controls. He was one of only two people wearing lifejacket­s and the only person in a wetsuit.

The other man wearing a lifejacket was arrested but the court was told there was insufficie­nt evidence to charge him.

Xhekaliu admitted he was in the UK illegally but said he had an address in Barnet, north London, which he shared with his partner.

He claimed he had travelled to Albania to attend his mother’s funeral and that he had ‘not been in Britain for long enough to claim asylum’, having first come to the UK in the back of a lorry from Brussels in 2013.

But yesterday Judge Christine Laing said she was satisfied he was part of a human traffickin­g gang who put profits ahead of the lives of those they exploited.

‘You were in the boat with these people and risked the lives of every single person in that boat,’ the judge said. ‘None were appropriat­ely dressed apart from you.

‘You bear responsibi­lity. Not even the most basic steps had been taken to ensure their safety. You were also risking the lives of the RNLI who had to turn out in difficult conditions. They risk their lives without hesitation.’ Earlier, Lewes Crown Court heard how Xhekaliu had £512 in sterling and foreign currency, which may have been part of the fare given to him to transport the seven Albanian men and one woman.

The National Crime Agency discovered that Xhekaliu had flown from Gatwick to Albania’s capital, Tirana, several days before. He then headed north to collect the inflatable boat and sail it to the UK from France.

Text messages and pictures found on his mobile phone show he was looking at boats on Facebook, although the boat later selected was not advertised on the site. In one text message exchange Xhekaliou asked a contact: ‘We have the trip set for Saturday. I am in Albania. Would you have anyone wanting to come over there?’

His contact replied: ‘Yes mate. I will get them ready on Friday and let you know, hope many people.’

National Crime Agency officers searched his home and discovered a Greek ID card in his name.

Martin Grace, NCA senior investigat­ing officer, said: ‘Afrim Xhekaliu was clearly an important part of an organised crime group smuggling people into the UK.

‘He was ill-prepared to transport people across the Channel in the depths of winter and very dangerous conditions. His lack of maritime skill and experience put the lives of those aboard in danger.’

Paul Campbell, of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said: ‘HM Coastguard received a call from a vessel in distress. The person who made the call only spoke a little English and was disorienta­ted because of the challengin­g sea conditions.

‘We knew there were a number of people on board and time was of the essence. Coastguard officers identified a possible location, deploying the search and rescue helicopter, and together with colleagues from the RNLI, were able to carry out the rescue.’

‘You risked the lives of everyone in that boat’

 ??  ?? Plucked from the sea : Lifeboatme­n rescue the illegal immigrants. Inset: Afrim Xhekaliu
Plucked from the sea : Lifeboatme­n rescue the illegal immigrants. Inset: Afrim Xhekaliu
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