Albanian people smuggler who arranged spaces on Channel boat crossings jailed for nearly 10 years

An Albanian people smuggler who arranged spaces on boats crossing the English Channel has been jailed for nearly 10 years.

Eglantin Doksani, 24, may have been responsible for transporting hundreds of people across the Channel in 2022, the National Crime Agency says.

Investigators identified him as an associate of Hewa Rahimpur, one of the leaders of a gang involved in moving around 10,000 people to the UK.

The Iranian national was arrested by the NCA in London in 2022 and extradited to Belgium to face trial, before being jailed for 11 years last October.

Doksani acted as an agent for migrants, brokering spaces on boats operated by Rahimpur’s network and others.

WhatsApp conversations found on Rahimpur’s phone evidenced discussions around people Doksani wanted moving to the UK.

In one message Doksani, who was saved in Rahimpur’s handset as Nodnol – London backwards – told Rahimpur: “Pls try to do something tomorrow to send the guys because I have 10 more people waiting for me, Cash In hand.”

In a separate conversation with another suspected people smuggler recovered from Doksani’s phone, they discussed pick-up locations.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

‘Labour will let us down on migration – no amount of spin will change that’Labour just branded illegal migration ‘irregular’ – these three charts show migration certainly isn’t irregularFarage rages as Labour axes word ‘illegal’ from migrant plan: ‘Won’t get away with it!’

Doksani sent a map and co-ordinates for where his clients were waiting, at Gravelines between Calais and Dunkirk.

When NCA officers initially arrested Doksani in July 2022 he was living in a flat in the Isle of Dogs, East London.

As they arrived, a bag was seen to be thrown from a window; later found to contain cocaine.

He was arrested for a second time Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, after further evidence of his people smuggling activities were uncovered by investigators.

NCA officers found he’d been using a fraudulent passport to open bank accounts, which he later used to deposit his criminal profits.

Following his second arrest, he was charged with facilitating illegal immigration, fraud, money laundering and drug supply offences.

He later pleaded guilty to seven offences, and was jailed today for nine years and nine months by a judge at St Albans Crown Court.

He faces deportation after serving his sentence.