Record numbers of Albanians claiming to be victims of slavery ‘to avoid deportation’

Albanians are exploiting modern slavery laws to avoid deportation after crossing the Channel, government sources suggested as figures showed record numbers are claiming to be victims of trafficking.

Official data published on Thursday show Albanians are now the top nationality claiming to be victims of modern slavery or trafficking, overtaking UK nationals.

They accounted for more than a quarter (27 per cent) of the record 4,171 potential victims of modern slavery referred to the Home Office in the second quarter of this year under legislation brought in by Theresa May.

The 1,130 Albanians claiming to be victims of trafficking or slavery are now ahead of UK nationals referred to the Home Office, at 1,013 or 24 per cent of the total. Third were Eritreans, substantially lower at 293, or seven per cent.

The figures come just days after it emerged that Albanians accounted for nearly four in 10 migrants crossing the Channel over a six-week period this summer even though there is no war in the country.

Border Force experts believe Albanians are claiming they are trafficking victims to boost their chances of staying in the UK because a bid to claim asylum coming from a peaceful country is unlikely to be successful.

National Crime Agency (NCA) officials say their attempts to dismantle cannabis farms run by Albanian gangs in the UK has seen numerous cases of workers claiming they are victims of exploitation in order to avoid prosecution and deportation.

Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, is urgently reviewing anti-slavery legislation to close the loophole being exploited by Albanians and other migrants as a way to remain in the UK.

A government source said: “Today’s statistics show just how broken and exploited the [national referral] system has become. It’s become the tactic of choice to thwart removal from the UK. Priti’s reforming the system to finally crack down on the abuse while protecting genuine victims.”

Ms Patel has appointed Harish Salve, a barrister and one of Britain’s leading experts on public international law, to review how the system is working, with sources saying that “legislation will follow.”

The data shows there were a record 4,171 potential victims of modern slavery referred to the Home Office in the second quarter of this year, up 10 per cent on the last quarter and a 34 per cent rise in a year.

It is the first time the number of referrals has exceeded 4,000 in a quarter and is the highest since the so-called national referral mechanism began in 2009.

Under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, police, local councils, NGOs and specified government agencies are required to refer victims to Home Office experts who assess whether their cases merit support including accommodation, subsistence, legal aid and counselling. They cannot be deported while their cases are assessed.

Most are referred for labour exploitation, which accounted for 32 per cent or 1,314 of the total. Referrals of children and others exploited by county lines drug gangs hit their highest on record, at 589. This accounted for 14 per cent all referrals, with most boys aged under 18 (76 per cent).

Ministers are, however, concerned that the anti-slavery laws introduced by Mrs May are providing Channel migrants with a loophole at a time when a record 18,000 people have already crossed this year – nearly double the rate at the same point last year.

A leaked intelligence report, covering June to July 12, revealed that of 2,863 people transported by nine smuggling gangs, 1,075 – or 37.5 per cent – were Albanian.

Tony Smith, a former director general of the Border Force, said: “The small boats are just another way of getting into the UK for the Albanians. They know they cannot get visas or get past the Border Force officers at Calais – but if they can get to the UK and log these claims of being trafficked, it is another loophole that is being exploited in the system.

“They know they cannot claim asylum, but they are using this ploy that they have been trafficked. It is another barrier to removal which means they cannot be instantly sent back to Albania.”

Albanian gangs have moved into cannabis because it is “very, very low risk,” turns a good profit because of high demand –Britons consumed 240 tons of the drug, worth £2.4 billion, last year – and does not require risky cross-border transportation because it is home-grown, says the NCA.

One case last summer saw four Albanian “gardeners” who were caught with 70 plants and 100kg of harvested cannabis in a house in south-west Wales claim they feared for their safety if they returned to Albania because of unpaid debts to the gang that trafficked them into the UK.

One had been referred to the national system for victims of exploitation although the judge said their story – that they had been recruited to work in the farm by an Albanian they met in a local supermarket – required “a significant pinch of salt”.