Foreign criminals are reportedly dodging jail time in the UK by paying to be smuggled out of the country in lorries with one fixer boasting of 50 “stress-free” escapes.
A shocking investigation has revealed an illegal network helping fugitives flee justice by hiding them in the back of trucks bound for France. The smuggling operation is reportedly run by an Albanian man named “Alphons”, who claims to charge £2,500 per person and uses social media to advertise his services.
The self-proclaimed smuggler told an undercover reporter that he helps criminals, including those wanted for serious offences like murder, escape the UK to avoid prosecution. “They commit a crime and want to go fast,” he bragged. Alphons admitted he too had fled the UK to dodge a prison sentence after being caught in a cannabis house.
According to the report, he works with Kosovan-Albanian lorry drivers and arranges to meet clients at the Maidstone M20 Services in Kent the final stop before the Eurotunnel. Drop-offs happen near Calais, at Aire de Saint-Hilaire-Cottes.
The revelation has sparked outrage, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp saying: “This criminal gang is making a mockery of our border laws. Foreign criminals need to be prosecuted and then deported — not allowed to escape justice.”
The scandal also highlights the growing strain on the UK’s prison system. A national emergency was declared earlier this year, triggering an early release scheme that saw thousands of inmates freed after serving just 40% of their sentences.
With prison capacity under pressure and border security stretched thin, concerns are growing that dangerous offenders are slipping through the cracks.