Dymchurch migrant boat operation 'was lucrative scam'
- Published
Migrants were brought across in small boats, the court heard
A people-smuggling operation that brought migrants across the English Channel in a small boats was a "lucrative scam", the Old Bailey has been told.
Prosecutor Timothy Probert-Wood QC said the migrants were smuggled from France to Kent illegally for money.
Eight men from London and Kent deny conspiracy to breach immigration law.
Jurors heard how 17 people arrived on a beach in the middle of the night in May 2016.
The court was told father and son Leonard and Alfie Powell were at the heart of the operation which allegedly saw migrants charged £5,500 each to cross the Channel.
Jurors heard a second son, George Powell, had faced the same charge and pleaded guilty earlier this year.
'We are drowning'
The court heard the defendants were in two groups.
Mr Probert-Wood said the Powells and their associates had arranged and carried out transportation of migrants.
He said a second group were Albanians who acted as the "travel agents", liaising between the Powells and the migrants.
The defendants:
Wayne Craig Bath, 38, of Sea Approach, Warden, Sheerness
Sabah Dulaj, 23, of no fixed address
Albert Letchford, 42, of Rochester Road, Gravesend
Leonard Powell, 66, of London Road, Dartford
Alan Viles, 27, of Ash Tree Road, Folkestone
Francis Wade, 59, of Gill Avenue, Wainscott
Alfie Powell, 39, of no fixed address
Arthur Nutaj, 39, Wheatley Gardens, Enfield
The defendants were monitored by officers from the National Crime Agency and French police, the court was told.
Jurors heard details of the purchase of a number of boats allegedly used to take migrants from a beach near the French village of Escalles to the UK.
Mr Probert-Wood said one incident in the early hours of 29 May 2016 nearly ended in tragedy when a boat transporting migrants ran out of fuel and started taking on water.
Text messages were found on migrants' phones revealing their terror, jurors heard.
Mr Probert-Wood read one out which said: "We are in England, tell police, we are drowning."
Those on board were rescued by coastguards and the Border Force, jurors heard.
On 26 May, 17 people arrived on the beach at Dymchurch carrying plastic bags or rucksacks, the court heard.
A boat was seen to arrive and people waded into the water, but the boat disappeared after a nearby car signalled to it with its headlights, jurors were told.
"[They were] clearly not there for a day on the beach," Mr Probert-Wood said.
The trial continues.