Summary
A former British soldier, known as Nick, described to the BBC how he smuggled Vietnamese and Albanian migrants into the UK using yachts and ferries. Despite his conviction in 2019, similar smuggling operations are reportedly still happening due to perceived security weaknesses at marinas and ports.
Key Facts
- Nick smuggled migrants by yacht into private marinas and by cars onto ferries.
- He was convicted and imprisoned in 2019 for these activities.
- Security at marinas, according to multiple sources, is minimal and likened to caravan sites.
- Nick claims smuggling by these routes is easy and low-risk.
- Border Force is responsible for the UK coastline but private operators handle marina security.
- In a recent patrol, Border Force intercepted a yacht with 20 hidden migrants.
- Most migrants smuggled by Nick aimed to avoid formal asylum claims to work illegally.
- Nick started smuggling after facing financial difficulties during the late 2000s economic downturn.
