A two-month long trial has concluded with four men being found guilty of trying to smuggle 69 Albanian migrants into the UK on a converted fishing boat.
The 60-year-old, nearly 30m long trawler, named the Svanic, was intercepted in the North Sea late at night on November 17 last year.
The boat was headed towards Great Yarmouth in Norfolk after it set sail from Belgium, but was instead escorted to Harwich in Essex, reports the PA news agency.
READ MORE:Great-great-grandma, 82, stabbed ‘with 30cm blade’ before man, 20, killed in ‘unprovoked’ attack
The court heard that after the Svanic was seized an inspection revealed it “displayed a multitude of faults”.
Tony Badenoch QC, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Crown Court: “As an example, it only had a maximum lifesaving capacity of 20 persons.”
The trial had heard an audio file from one of the organisers of the crossing, Arturas Jusas, who said: “We’re going to bring every week 50 people, yes, we need to invest now 40,000, if you want, 20 you, 20 me.
“From first trip we’re going to get the money back.”
The operation was described as “sophisticated” and “highly lucrative”
(Image: PA)
Latvian national Aleksandrs Gulpe, 44, and 56-year-old Ukrainian national Igor Kosyi, who were both crew members, were found guilty of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration.
Gulpe by a unanimous verdict and Kosyi by a majority verdict of 10 jurors to two, a court official said.
Meanwhile Kfir Ivgi, 39, of Corrigan Close, Finchley, and Sergejs Kuliss, 32, of Albert Basin Way, Newham, East London were also found guilty.
Ivgi and Kuliss were described as the ‘UK-based organisers of the crossing’ and the jury offered unanimous verdicts on their guilt.
Arturas Jusas, 35, of Wandsworth Road, Lambeth, also described as a “UK-based organiser”, admitted at an earlier hearing to conspiring to assist unlawful immigration.
69 Albanian migrants were found onboard
(Image: PA)
A sixth man, Ukrainian national Volodymyr Mykhailov, 49, who the court heard was arrested when the boat reached land, was cleared.
The National Crime Agency’s director of investigations, Nikki Holland said, afterwards: “There is no stronger example of how organised criminals are prepared to risk the lives of the people they smuggle for profit.
“The Svanic was in an appalling condition, and in no fit state to make the perilous journey from Belgium to the UK.
“Had it got into trouble, the consequences could have been fatal as there was only one lifeboat and 20 lifejackets.
At MyLondon, we want to make sure you get the latest and greatest from across the capital.
And one way you can do that is by getting the best news, reviews and features from wherever you are straight to your inbox with our free email newsletters.
We have seven newsletters you can currently sign up for – including a different one for each part of London, as well as an EastEnders one for all the gossip from Albert Square, and a London Underground one to keep you up to date on the latest transport news.
The local newsletters go out twice a day and send the latest stories straight to your inbox.
From community stories and news covering every borough of London to celebrity and lifestyle stories, we’ll make sure you get the very best every day.
To sign up to any of our newsletters, simply follow this link and select the newsletter that’s right for you.
And to really customise your news experience on the go, you can download our top-rated free apps for iPhone and Android. Find out more here.
“The dangers wouldn’t have crossed the minds of these men, whose sole motive was to line their pockets.
“They were planning to use this death trap over and over again.”
The five men who were convicted of the charge are to be sentenced on a date to be fixed.
Want more from MyLondon? Sign up to our daily newsletters for all the latest and greatest from across London here.
Read More
Related Articles
Read More
Related Articles
https://www.mylondon.news/news/east-london-news/london-men-tried-smuggle-69-22196365
