A man from Portsmouth has been jailed for his involvement in a ‘large scale’ people smuggling ring. Floreand Lika, of Temple Street, Portsmouth, was sentenced to four years and four months in prison. 

The 27-year-old Albanian national helped smuggle illegal immigrants into the UK. 

Portsmouth Crown Court heard that he was responsible for arranging for fellow Albanians to board vessels in France. 

During two voyages, Lika was in phone contact with one of three men sentenced earlier this year for smuggling people into the country. 

A vessel travelling from Cherbourg arrived at East Cowes Marina on March 19, 2020. 

On the ship were 12 people suspected to have been migrants entering the UK illegally. 

Between June 26 and 27, 2020, another small boat was intercepted after a joint operation with the south east regional organised crime unit (SEROCU), the National Crime Agency and French authorities. 

Six Albanians were on board, without the necessary pre-entry clearance needed to enter the country. 

Lika pleaded guilty to conspiring to do an act to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non EU person, contrary to the Immigration Act. 

He gave his verdict at a Portsmouth Crown Court hearing on June 15, after being arrested the day before by SEROCU officers. 

Three other men from the Isle of Wight who worked with Lika – Stephen Redhead, Christopher Barber and Jean Pierre Labelle – were sentenced for their roles in the people smuggling operation in March. 

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Clair Trueman, from SEROCU, said:  

"People making perilous crossings to enter the United Kingdom take a gamble with their lives and those who facilitate this offence should rightly be brought before a court. 

Our investigation uncovered Lika’s involvement in what was organised international crime on a large scale so we continued our efforts to trace him, working closely in partnership with other law enforcement partners. 

The evidence Lika faced was so strong that he pleaded guilty, acknowledging his role in this people smuggling ring. SEROCU officers continue to work to tackle the threat organised crime poses to the Southeast and beyond", Portsmouth.co.uk reported.