Twenty-five large inflatable boats believed to have been destined for people-smuggling operations have been seized at East Midlands Airport.

The National Crime Agency and the Home Office Intelligence Team intercepted the shipment on October 2 after the boats were discovered packed inside pallets in air freight travelling from Turkey to the Netherlands.

The NCA said the inflatables were around nine metres long and each was capable of carrying up to 68 people.

Together, the boats could potentially have been used to transport around 1,700 people across the English Channel.

First major seizure involving air freight

The seizure is the first time a large consignment of small-boat equipment has been detected in air freight in the UK.

Craig Turner, deputy director of investigations at the NCA, said:

“I have no doubt the boats we’ve seized here would have ended up being used to risk the lives of a huge number of people in the Channel had we not stepped in.”

The agency believes the vessels were ultimately destined for criminal networks involved in organising Channel crossings.

More than 1,600 boats and engines intercepted

The operation follows another major seizure in July, when 25 inflatable boats and 25 engines were intercepted in a maritime consignment at Felixstowe.

Mr Turner said operations in the UK and overseas have now resulted in more than 1,600 boats and engines being seized.

He said:

“Our assessment is that this is having an impact, driving up the cost of boats and engines, making it more difficult to get them to the coast and eating into the profits of the criminal gangs involved.”

The National Crime Agency continues to work with international partners to disrupt the supply chains used by organised immigration crime groups.