site.btaTeams of Bulgarian and British Law Enforcers Exchange Experience in Fighting Smuggling, Human Trafficking

In September 2024, a joint training of teams from a task force of officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) and other law enforcement agencies from the UK, customs officers from the Bulgarian Customs Agency and Bulgarian border police officers was held at the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint on the Bulgarian-Turkish border. During the training, joint vehicle and cargo checks were carried out, including X-ray inspections. Specially trained customs dogs were also involved, the Customs Agency said Monday.

The NCA said in a press release that its officers have led a law enforcement partnership with the Bulgarian authorities to prevent hundreds of boats, engines and other pieces of maritime equipment reaching the hands of people smugglers.

For the last 12 months the NCA, alongside the Home Office and FCDO, have worked closely with the Bulgarian National Customs Agency and Bulgarian Border Police, sharing intelligence and mounting joint operations targeting the criminal supply chain.

As a result, 33 separate interceptions of maritime equipment intended for criminal gangs organising channel crossings have been made, including 125 dangerous inflatable boats, 128 outboard engines, more than 700 pumps, and 300 rubber rings.

NCA experts assess the seizures will have denied the crime networks around £16.6 million in profit they would have made from crossings using the equipment.

Earlier this month a taskforce of officers from the NCA, Border Force, HMRC and Home Office International Operations travelled out to the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing point in southern Bulgaria for a joint exercise with Bulgarian partners, carrying out training and targeted searches of vehicles and freight using dogs and specialist equipment.

The day after the conclusion of the exercise another 10 Chinese-made outboard engines were seized. 

The engines were found during a thorough customs check of a vehicle driven by a Bulgarian national, who declared that he was transporting furniture for personal use. The engines were found among the load, and the driver was issued with a fine.

Kapitan Andreevo is one of the busiest land borders in Europe and the busiest land border in Bulgaria in terms of traffic of persons, vehicles, and commodities, and is a key point targeted by human traffickers and criminal smuggling gangs, the NCA recalled. 

NCA Director of Intelligence Adrian Matthews said that Bulgaria is a key location on the supply route for the criminal people smuggling networks involved in organising dangerous Channel boat crossings. “Taking this equipment out before it can reach them not only disrupts their activities and hits their profits, but it also prevents these lethal boats and under-powered engines being used at sea where lives are at risk. As close partners and allies, the UK and Bulgaria work together to tackle organised crime and illegal migration, strengthening the border security of both countries. And together we are determined to continue doing all we can to disrupt and dismantle the people smuggling networks profiting from misery, wherever and however they operate,” the NCA press release said, which was also circulated by the Bulgarian Customs Agency.

Georgi Gospodinov, Head of Customs at Kapitan Andreevo border crossing was quoted as saying that "the joint exercises with partners from the UK law-enforcement authorities are extremely important for us. Sharing good practices is a guarantee for good results in tackling efficiently the contraband and illegal human trafficking channels.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Angela Eagle said, as quoted by the NCA, that "this work shows what can be achieved through international cooperation to go after the criminal smuggling gangs making millions out of small boat crossings. Our Border Security Command will turbocharge these efforts, with investigators stationed throughout Europe and additional resource to support operations like these. We will not stand by while criminals’ prey on vulnerable people, including women and children. Thanks to the efforts of the NCA, Border Force and other Home Office staff, working in lockstep with our Bulgarian allies, our borders are more secure and more lives have potentially been saved. By seizing the equipment used for dangerous and flimsy boats, we are also striking a major blow to the smugglers’ operations and cutting off millions in profits.”

The NCA has a network of international liaison officers based at strategic locations around the world, covering more than 130 countries.