Ministers urged to deport Albanians as they are 'coached to manipulate' modern slavery
Albanian nationals accounted for almost a third of all potential victims, making up 1,452 of the total number.
Albanian man films dinghy crossing on the English channel
Ministers came under renewed pressure last night to deport Albanians allegedly exploiting asylum rules.
Government and law enforcement figures fear migrants from the Balkans state are coached to “manipulate” modern slavery laws.
Intelligence officers claim many crossing the Channel on small boats were told what to say before they even left their country.
Figures on Thursday show Albanians are a third of all potential victims of modern slavery.
This has led to fears that a deal struck by Rishi Sunak to increase deportations of Albanians is failing to prevent cheating.
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Alp Mehmet, chairman of lower immigration think-tank Migration Watch UK, said: “It is concerning that last December’s agreement has yet to have an impact. Ministers must double down and ensure those who seek to exploit the system know they will be returned home.”
Some 1,452 of 4,746 potential victims of slavery referred to the Home Office from January to March were Albanian. The total rose by more than a quarter in the first three months of 2023 compared with last year and is the highest since the system was set up in 2009.
Simon Brocklesby, a National Crime Agency intelligence officer, said: “The Albanian criminal community will manipulate the [modern slavery] National Referral Mechanism in a fairly extensive fashion. We do know anecdotally speaking to police forces around the country that if an Albanian illegal migrant is arrested as a cannabis grower then often the first thing they’ll do is claim to be a victim of trafficking. It is in many ways blatant manipulation...something we believe from Albania is instilled in them before they leave for the UK.”
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The Home Office said NRM referrals for Albanians were higher than UK nationals for the fifth quarter in a row.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman was allegedly told by Albanian counterpart Bledar Cuci his countrymen exploit the law.
A source said: “The minister said he was a big supporter of the ‘stop the boats’ Bill...It would bring a stop to his countrymen gaming the UK system.”
Almost 13,000 Albanian nationals crossed the Channel in small boats last year, up from 800 in the previous 12 months.
- Mr Sunak said Britain and Rwanda were “leading the way” on migration challenges as he met its president Paul Kagame at No10 on Thuesday. The UK has a £140million deal with Rwanda which will see some migrants who enter illegally flown to the African nation.
Comment by Marc Sidwell - Henry Jackson Society
It is no secret that some Albanians exploit the rules set up to protect victims of modern slavery.
Albania’s own interior minister acknowledged as much in a meeting with Home Secretary Suella Braverman last month.
National Crime Agency officials have also reported “blatant manipulation” of modern slavery laws by Albanian criminals, with evidence they are coached on what to say if arrested.
And who can blame them?
Making a slavery claim can delay your case by a year or more while it is investigated, and a surprisingly high proportion of such claims are successful – anywhere from 22 to 45 percent succeeded in the four years to 2022.
We cannot allow our well-meaning system to be abused like this. A policy designed to stop human trafficking has become a tool for the traffickers.
The Government must find a better answer: either provide more resources to bring down the mounting backlog, or rethink rules so they are less easy to exploit.
