People-smuggling: Fourth member of gang jailed

Jetmir Myrtaj was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday

A fourth member of a group that smuggled migrants to the UK from France and Belgium has been jailed.

Jetmir Myrtaj, 35, was sentenced to four and a half years for his role in organising the "dangerous" trips across the English Channel, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

Myrtaj, of Kirby Road, Leicester, was jailed at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

The NCA said Myrtaj was "integral" to facilitating the crossings.

His three co-defendants - fellow Albanians Banet Tershana, 52, and Klodian Shenaj, 49, and British national Desmond Rice, 47 - were sentenced on Friday.

Banet Tershana (left), Desmond Rice (middle) and Klodian Shenaj (right) have also been jailed

Speaking then, NCA branch commander Derek Evans said: "Our investigators worked tirelessly to identify members of this people-smuggling network and take action before they could arrange any more dangerous crossings.

"Tershana was the organiser, financier and collected payment from migrants, Shenaj was the conduit between mainland Europe-based facilitators and the UK, and Myrtaj and Rice were integral to facilitating the crossings.

"Tackling organised immigration crime is a priority for the NCA, and we will continue to target people smugglers both in the UK and overseas."

The NCA said the smugglers were first spotted offloading migrants by a coastguard plane in Joss Bay, Kent, on 8 October 2022, with the same location used for a second crossing on 23 October.

Myrtaj had moored a rigid-hulled inflatable boat, named Orca, under a false name in Brightlingsea, Essex, and carried out repairs to make it seaworthy.

The group had also purchased a second boat that they stored at the same location, which, when stopped by Belgian authorities, was found to have only six inadequate lifejackets when 12 migrants, including children, were aboard.

Rice, Myrtaj, Shenaj and Tershana were then all arrested between October 2022 and March 2023.

A fifth man, Arsen Feci, 44, of Broxtowe Street, Nottingham, was due to face trial but did not appear, and is believed to have fled abroad.

Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is urged to contact the NCA.