By James Simons-
A fifth man has been charged in connection with an alleged people-smuggling operation after a number of people were detained for immigration offences following the arrival of a boat near the Essex coast.
Albanian national Fation Kalemaj, 44, of no fixed abode, was charged with facilitating illegal immigration and appeared before Bradford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, August 11.
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He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Bradford Crown Court on September 10. His charge follows the arrests of four other men who are accused of offences connected to the facilitation of illegal immigration.
Polish nationals Konrad Dabrowski, 25, and Damian Ciuron, 41, both from Bradford, were arrested by Essex Police in Holland-on-Sea, near Clacton, after officers saw a vessel drop a number of people off along the shoreline.
Italian national Christian Albano, 45, was subsequently arrested at sea by officers from Border Security Command, with support from HM Coastguard, on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration.
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The three men were later questioned by officers from the National Crime Agency before being charged with facilitation offences under Section 25 of the Immigration Act 1971.
A fourth man, Albanian national Illia Prendi, 57, was also charged with facilitation offences. Dabrowski, Ciuron, Albano and Prendi have all been remanded in custody and are due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on September 3.
Meanwhile, six people who were on board the vessel were detained for immigration offences and were subsequently dealt with by Immigration Enforcement. All six are Albanian nationals.
The latest charge against Kalemaj marks a further development in an investigation involving law-enforcement agencies from Essex and national border-security teams.
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