- Traffickers arrange genuine EU passports issued by corrupt Italian officials
Albanian gangs have launched an £18,000 ‘women and children’ only smuggling service to reunite them with male relatives who have already sneaked into the UK.
Traffickers arrange genuine EU passports issued by corrupt Italian officials that use the name of a real person but with the illegal migrant’s photo, an undercover Mail investigation found.
They then hire drivers to take customers to the UK using these apparently legitimate travel documents, either via the Channel Tunnel or ferry from France.
The illicit operation caters for the surging market of Albanian men who have already come to the UK illegally.
They have usually arrived via more dangerous routes, such as small boats or on lorries, and now want to bring their families to join them but with less risk.
Albanian gangs have launched an £18,000 ‘women and children’ only smuggling service to reunite them with male relatives who have already sneaked into the UK (File Image)
‘Taxi France to the UK only for family and girls. Who is interested? 100 per cent secure’- an advert posted on TikTok on February 25
An advert offering the ‘family service’ was posted on one of the gang’s two TikTok accounts on February 25, saying: ‘Taxi France to the UK only for family and girls. Who is interested? 100 per cent secure.’
A Mail reporter posing as an Albanian woman messaged the group and was told the price was ‘£18,000’. The reporter was then given a UK phone number for a man who is believed to be the gang leader.
Women using the service have to provide the name of a family member already in the UK who the London-based gang boss visits ahead of the journey to check they have the money to pay.
They must hand over all belongings, including their Albanian passports.
To show he was genuine, the suspected gang boss sent a video showing the driver of a white Fiat 500 saying farewell to a woman and a child he had just dropped off. He explained that she was the wife of his friend who he had smuggled in.
He also sent screenshots of conversations with previous customers on route to the UK.
Our exposé comes after the European border agency reported a surge in passport fraud at external borders.
And it follows damming comments by ex-borders watchdog David Neal who accused the Home Office of being ‘dysfunctional’ and warned the department was in need of widespread reform.
A Mail reporter posing as an Albanian woman messaged the group and was told the price was ‘£18,000’ (File Image)
Tony Smith, the former director-general of Border Force, warned the ‘genuine fake’ passports posed a ‘new headache’ for the Home Office.
He said: ‘People smuggling gangs know UK border checks are aimed at discovering fake or stolen documents.
‘But if someone has a genuine passport issued by the Italian authorities, immigration officers wouldn’t know the holder is actually an imposter.
‘Unless we knew there was a scam going on or had specific intelligence, they’re going to be able to walk through the e-gate.’
Dan Barcroft, of the National Crime Agency, said: ‘Albanian people smuggling groups are resourceful and adaptive.
‘We are working with partners in the UK and overseas to target, disrupt and dismantle these networks wherever they operate.’
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk