Inflatable boats, rubber rings and engines seized in Bulgaria before reaching people smugglers

Hundreds of inflatable boats, rubber rings, engines and pumps have been seized at the Bulgarian border to stop them being used to traffic migrants to the UK.

Over the last 12 months, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has worked with the Bulgarian National Customs Agency and Bulgarian Border Police – and alongside the Home Office and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to stop the equipment falling into the hands of people smugglers.

The joint operation resulted in 33 separate interceptions – and the seizure of 125 dangerous inflatable boats, 128 engines, more than 700 pumps, and 300 rubber rings.

Earlier this month the team went to the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing point in southern Bulgaria to carry out targeted searches.

It is among the busiest land borders in Europe and often used as a key route for human traffickers and people smuggling gangs.

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Engines were found in a vehicle being driven by a Bulgarian national – who claimed he was transporting furniture for personal use. He was subsequently fined.

The day after the exercise, a further 10 Chinese-made outboard engines were seized.

Had the equipment taken over the last year reached criminal gangs – it would have earned them around £16.6m in profit, the NCA said.

NCA director of intelligence Adrian Matthews said: “Bulgaria is a key location on the supply route for the criminal people smuggling networks involved in organising dangerous Channel boat crossings.

“Taking this equipment out before it can reach them not only disrupts their activities and hits their profits, but it also prevents these lethal boats and under-powered engines being used at sea where lives are at risk.”

Georgi Gospodinov, head of customs at Kapitan Andreevo border police, added: “The joint exercises with partners from the UK law-enforcement authorities are extremely important for us.

“Sharing good practices is a guarantee for good results in tackling efficiently the contraband and illegal human trafficking channels.”