Turkish boat supplier jailed for aiding Channel migrant crossings

Turkish Boat Dealer Sentenced for People Smuggling

Adem Savas, a 45-year-old Turkish boat dealer, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for aiding hundreds of thousands in crossing the English Channel. He claimed to be the “King of the people smugglers.”

Savas earned millions by supplying inflatable boats, outboard motors, and life jackets to trafficking gangs. He operated a legitimate marine supplies business in Turkey as a cover for his decade-long operation.

During this time, he purchased thousands of boats and equipment from China. He shipped these items through Turkey to Europe, where he stored them in Germany before transporting them to northern France.

With his illegal profits, Savas bought a house in Turkey, a plot of land, and a fleet of luxury vehicles. He was arrested in Amsterdam while heading to a boat show in a joint operation by the UK’s National Crime Agency and Dutch and Belgian police.

Judge’s Remarks and Financial Gains

A judge in Bruges, Belgium, sentenced him today, stating he had made “massive financial gain” by showing “contempt for the laws.”

The Channel migrant route is estimated to be worth £130 million a year to criminal gangs. In 2024, a total of 41,472 people crossed by small boats, marking a 13% increase from the previous year.

Savas used his expertise as a marine supplies boss to become a significant player in the smuggling operation, selling boats to traffickers since 2015 or possibly earlier. When arrested, he claimed he was merely a boat salesman unaware of the dinghies’ intended use.

Investigation and Arrest

A source connected to the investigation stated, “They were not being used for sailing competitions.” The gangs transporting migrants across the Channel relied on suppliers like Savas.

Savas maintained regular contact via text with other criminals involved in smuggling. They discussed tragedies, including a November 2021 incident where 28 people drowned, the deadliest in the Channel’s history.

Despite these tragedies, Savas and his associates continued to supply equipment to Kurdish gangs operating in Calais. He was arrested in November 2024 after police examined phone records linked to Iraqi smuggler Hewa Rahimpur, 30.

Rahimpur was arrested in Ilford, east London, in May 2022, leading to a Europe-wide investigation into a smuggling ring that transported 10,000 migrants across the Channel. Over 40 individuals were detained across four countries, with Rahimpur sentenced to 13 years in 2023.

Evidence Found During Raids

During a raid on one of Savas’s storage units in Germany, police discovered a van loaded with 100 life jackets and two 40 horsepower outboard motors, capable of reaching 30 mph. They also found 320 life jackets and a 26ft-long RIB, a small portion of the total equipment he supplied.

Savas was the main importer of ‘Parsun’ branded engines from China, favored by trafficking gangs. The NCA estimates that his equipment was used to transport one in every two migrants attempting the Channel crossing.

Official Statements

NCA Director General of Operations Rob Jones stated, “Adem Savas was without doubt the most significant supplier of boats and engines to people smuggling gangs involved in organizing deadly crossings in the Channel.”

Jones added that Savas pretended to run a legitimate business but knew how unsuitable his equipment was for long sea crossings. He profited from numerous fatal events in the Channel.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris remarked, “We are cracking down on the criminals exchanging human lives for cash.” He praised the National Crime Agency for their role in apprehending Savas.

Savas was also fined 400,000 euros for human trafficking, and a confiscation order for 100,000 euros was issued for his criminal proceeds. Three Iraqis he worked with were convicted in their absence and sentenced to a total of 38 years.