A Turkish national has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for supplying thousands of small boats and engines used by people smugglers to transport migrants across the English Channel. Authorities say his actions played a major role in many dangerous and deadly crossings.
The man, identified as 45-year-old Adem Savas, was also fined €400,000 after being found guilty in a Belgian court. He was arrested in November 2024 after arriving at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands and later stood trial in Bruges, Belgium.
Investigators said Savas supplied inflatable boats and outboard engines to smuggling gangs over several years. The boats were shipped from Turkey, stored in Germany, and later moved to northern France before being used for Channel crossings.
Savas was first identified by the UK’s National Crime Agency during an investigation into Kurdish crime boss Hewa Rahimpur. Rahimpur led a large smuggling network believed to have moved more than 10,000 migrants into the UK using small boats.
Phone and device data seized during Rahimpur’s arrest revealed that Savas was his main supplier. Authorities believe equipment supplied by Savas was used in about half of all Channel crossings in 2023 alone.
The NCA said Savas imported cheap engines from China, the type commonly used by smuggling gangs, despite being unsuitable for long sea journeys. He reportedly charged about £4,000 per package and is believed to have made millions from the operation.
Officials said boats and engines supplied by Savas were likely involved in several fatal incidents, including the 2021 tragedy in which 27 migrants died after their boat sank in the Channel. Evidence showed smugglers continued using the same type of boats despite knowing the risks.
Three other suspects linked to the case were sentenced in their absence to prison terms of up to 13 years and fined €600,000 each. Authorities have ordered their arrest as investigations into cross-border smuggling networks continue.