National Crime Agency say migrants smuggled into the country are at higher risk of modern slavery
It's after two men were sentenced yesterday for smuggling people into the UK off the coast of Chichester
Last updated 8 hours ago
The National Crime Agency are urging those who may be considering making an illegal crossing to consider the dangers and consequences.
It's after two men were sentenced yesterday at Portsmouth Crown Court for smuggling people into the UK through Chichester.
Saju Sasikumar, Branch Commander within National Crime Agency, is telling us there's higher risk of modern slavery for those who make illegal crossings.
He said: "There's the risk of the crossing but also just by the very nature of these crossings that you're reliant on people smuggling groups to bring you to the UK, that automatically will put you at a higher risk of being further embroiled in modern slavery type scenarios.
"This is because you've not got legitimate right to be in the UK.
"Your only option is then to work for these groups who take advantage of you.
"We can't really put a figure on how often that happens but it will, and it puts you at higher risk."
Vladyslav Cherniavskyi, 38, was sentenced yesterday at Portsmouth Crown Court to six years, and Oleksandr Yavtushenko, 43, has been sentenced to five years for assisting in unlawful immigration.
The two Ukrainian men were intercepted by Border Force off the coast of Chichester on 20th July 2025.
As well as crew members Cherniavskyi and Yavtushenko, the boat was also carrying five passengers, four Albanian male nationals and a Vietnamese female who were being smuggled into the UK.
Mr Sasikumar said working on stopping people smuggling groups is one of the National Crime Agency's top priorities at the moment.
He said: "They aren't only putting people's lives at risk, they're putting the UK border at risk, too.
"For the facilitators themselves, it's very important that they are dealt with properly through the courts and get sentences that are reflective of the high risk process by which they're smuggling people into the country.
"So I think it's very important we see higher sentences around this kind of criminality."