Dutch man arrested for smuggling migrants to Britain via yacht
A 40-year-old man has been arrested in the Netherlands on suspicion of smuggling people to Britain using his sailing yacht. He is also suspected of involvement in money laundering, authorities announced on Wednesday.
The yacht was seized at the port of IJmuiden as part of an investigation that began after an incident in August at a lock in Stellendam, Zuid-Holland. The boat was ignoring repeated radio calls before requesting passage, but the lock operator noticed the captain's difficulty in controlling the yacht and closed the lock as a precaution.
Border police later found three people on board the yacht, holding Turkish and Albanian passports, including one person with a fake Italian identity. Twelve life jackets, British and Belgian flags, and navigation equipment were also discovered, raising concerns about safety and the purpose of the trip.
The suspect was arrested in the Zaanstreek area on Tuesday. A search of his home revealed mobile phones, tablets, cash, life jackets, navigation equipment, drugs, and weapons, indicating the possibility of a larger operation.
Last month, the Dutch prosecution demanded a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for two men after they were caught in 2023 attempting to smuggle ten people on board a yacht with almost no safety equipment, highlighting ongoing concerns about migrant smuggling across the seas.