A man who helped to smuggle people into the United Kingdom - and onto the Isle of Wight - has been jailed for his part in organising voyages.
Floreand Lika, of Temple Street, Portsmouth, was sentenced to four years and four months’ imprisonment at Portsmouth Crown Court today (Friday).
The court heard the 27-year-old Albanian national was responsible for arranging for fellow Albanians to board vessels in France, to be brought to the UK.
He was in phone contact during two voyages with one of three men sentenced earlier this year for their part in bringing people into the country illegally.
On March 19, 2020 a vessel which had travelled from Cherbourg in France arrived at East Cowes Marina in Hampshire with 12 additional people suspected to have been migrants entering the UK illegally.
Between June 26 and 27 2020, another small boat was intercepted after a joint operation with SEROCU, the National Crime Agency and French authorities. Six Albanians were found to be on board without the necessary pre-entry clearance needed to enter the UK.
Lika pleaded guilty to conspiring to do an act to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non EU person, contrary to the Immigration Act at a hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on June 15.
Following an investigation by police officers from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU), three men who Lika worked with to bring people into the UK were sentenced for their roles in the offence in March this year - as previously reported by Isle of Wight Radio.
Jean Pierre Labelle, aged 45, of Ashey Road, Ryde, was sentenced to eight years at the Isle of Wight Crown Court. While Stephen Redhead, aged 47, of Horsbridge Hill, Newport was given five years, and Christopher Barber aged 55, of Landguard Road, Shanklin was jailed for three years.
(Picture: Labelle, Redhead and Barber)
Lika was arrested on June 14 after SEROCU officers continued efforts to locate him, with support from Hampshire Constabulary.
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Clair Trueman, from SEROCU, said:
“People making perilous crossings to enter the United Kingdom take a gamble with their lives and those who facilitate this offence should rightly be brought before a court. Our investigation uncovered Lika’s involvement in what was organised international crime on a large scale so we continued our efforts to trace him, working closely in partnership with other law enforcement partners.
“The evidence Lika faced was so strong that he pleaded guilty, acknowledging his role in this people smuggling ring. SEROCU officers continue to work to tackle the threat organised crime poses to the Southeast and beyond.”
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