Channel migrant boat gang snared in huge blow to people smugglers | Politics | News
German police raid warehouses linked to smuggling ring (Image: NCA)
Four Channel migrant boat suppliers offering ‘go kits’ to smugglers were ensnared in a major operation this morning.
Syrian nationals were arrested for selling boats, pumps, engines and inner tubes used as life jackets to criminal gangs in Germany.
Investigators said the gang earned up to £86,000 per ship.
The equipment was produced in Asia and imported from Türkiye to Germany.
Syrian criminals were arrested following raids on gang-related warehouses in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Investigators tracked them down after receiving intelligence on a suspicious shipment of tire tubes destined for Italy in March 2025.
The inner tubes, which were usually given to migrants as temporary life jackets, were then transported to various gang-controlled storage locations in Germany.
Once there, they will be combined with inflatable boats, pumps and motors to form “go kits”, each worth over €10,000 on the black market and suitable for launching a small boat. They were to be purchased in Germany and shipped to the shores of France for a fee.
The National Crime Agency and their Belgian counterparts stopped seven vehicles carrying these kits towards France.
NCA Deputy Director of Investigations Craig Turner said: “We believe this operation has successfully disrupted and dismantled a significant organized crime group supplying equipment to people smugglers operating across the Channel.
“These ships are completely unsuitable for the purpose for which they are used: crammed with 70 or more people and propelled by an extremely low-power engine.
“The fact that they are being dumped offshore on one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes shows that these criminal networks have a complete disregard for the safety of the people they transport.
“This operation will disrupt business models and supply lines.
“I am grateful for the cooperation and support of all our European partners who contributed to this success.”
Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris said: “This operation demonstrates the instrumental impact of working upstream with our international partners to shut down the criminal supply chains behind illegal small boat crossings.
“By targeting nefarious smugglers before the boats even reach the water, we are hitting these gangs where it hurts them the most: their business model.
“Thanks to closer cooperation across Europe, we are achieving record levels of arrests, seizures and convictions. We will stop at nothing to restore, order and control our borders.”
