Albanians in debt bondage’ to pay for Channel crossing

Albanians crossing the English Channel in small boats are being held in debt bondage” by criminal gangs and forced to work off the cost of journeys in drug farms, officials have said.

- LIZZIE DEARDEN

The National Crime Agency NCA) assesses that dinghies have become a cheaper alternative to the clandestine methods of staffing the criminal marketplace” like lorries and false documents dominant in the past.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, NCA senior intelligence manager Ged McCann said Albanians arriving in small boats are commonly going into either the informal grey economy”, particularly construction and car washes, or working for organised criminal groups.

“Illegal migration is effectively bringing in the labour force for growing cannabis,” he added. Some of those being arrested have arrived a matter of days before on small boats.”

Mr McCann said Albanian gangs were adapting supply to the demand of the UK’s buoyant drug market”, particularly for cocaine, and were increasing their dominance in cannabis growing.

“Cannabis farms are often staffed with illegal migrants in debt bondage,” he added.

Steve Brocklesby, an NCA intelligence manager, said the debt can be created either when criminal gangs pay another group for a person’s crossing over the English Channel, or the person owes a facilitator after arranging the trip themselves.

“Many times you get an OCG organised criminal gang| in the UK that has a specific requirement for an Albanian for a certain job, for example, a cannabis grower, and in that case, they will pay a debt bond for them to come to the UK and the individual is responsible for paying it back,” he added.