Albanian Woman Jailed for People Smuggling Fixer Role
Ujeza Kurmekaj, 32, has been handed a 7½-year prison sentence after the National Crime Agency (NCA) exposed her as a key fixer for people smugglers. The Albanian was arrested at her Banbury, Oxfordshire home in October 2022.
Shocking Messages Reveal Smuggling Operation
During the investigation, NCA officers uncovered damning texts on Kurmekaj’s phone. She coordinated pickups with precise details like “family one: 3 1, children 14, 17, 12 years old” and “we have here one family, man, wife, one child.” Maps marked boat locations in the English Channel, while messages warned of “very bad sea” conditions.
Proof of Illegal Crossings Found on Phone
Kurmekaj’s phone held 21 images of Albanian IDs and passports. Immigration checks confirmed nine of those individuals had entered the UK via dangerous small boat crossings. Conversations also revealed people contacting Kurmekaj to arrange illegal crossings for their families.
NCA Pledges to Crack Down on People Smuggling
Charged in September, Kurmekaj pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court in November and was sentenced there last Friday. She faces automatic deportation after serving her term.
“Kurmekaj acted as a broker, linking migrants to smugglers who organised perilous Channel crossings,” said Andy MacGill, senior NCA investigator. “She arranged payments of hundreds of euros per person and showed no regard for their safety—only her own profit.”
MacGill highlighted the NCA’s determination to dismantle organised crime gangs behind people smuggling. “We target offenders at every stage to keep dangerous networks off our shores,” he added.
