A man once hailed as Britain’s most wanted has been jailed for 11 years after supplying half of the boats used in migrant crossings of the English Channel—some of
which ended in tragedy.
Adem Savas, 45, from Turkey, earned millions selling flimsy rubber boats, underpowered engines, and cheap lifejackets to criminal gangs, with authorities linking his equipment to numerous deaths at sea.
Dubbed the ‘King of Transport and Export,’ Savas became the largest supplier of small boats for migrants attempting the perilous Channel crossing. The National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates he provided around half of all boats and engines used in these dangerous journeys.
A Belgian court heard that Savas had been involved in people smuggling for a decade, sourcing cheap boats and ‘Parsun’ outboard motors from China and selling them for roughly £4,000 each. Investigators believe he amassed at least $1.7 million in assets, including luxury cars, farmland, and property in Istanbul.
To evade capture, Savas bribed Turkish police officers, funding their luxury holidays. But his operation was finally exposed when the NCA dismantled a major Europe-wide smuggling network responsible for moving more than 10,000 migrants. Investigators found messages between Savas and smuggling gang leader Hewa Rahimpur discussing Channel deaths and UK migration policy.
Savas oversaw the transport of his boats across Europe—from Turkey to Bulgaria, then Germany, and finally into Belgium and France—using a Dutch haulage company linked to drug trafficking. By 2023, the NCA had labelled him its ‘most high-value target.’
Footage of his warehouse showed thousands of inflatable boats stacked and ready for delivery, while associates were recorded testing the rubber to demonstrate its weakness. A handwritten price list revealed deals such as seven boats for $29,000 (£22,000).
Savas was arrested at Schiphol Airport in November 2024 after police learned he planned to attend a boat trade fair. On his phone, he admitted he had ‘sold too much to refugees’ but insisted he believed the boats were for legitimate fishing.
Rob Jones, NCA Director General of Operations, said: “Adem Savas was without doubt the most significant supplier of boats and engines to people smuggling gangs organising deadly crossings in the Channel. He knew exactly how unsuitable his equipment was for long sea journeys and profited from the risks taken by desperate migrants.”
Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris added: “We are cracking down on criminals exchanging human lives for cash. The NCA, working with international partners, has put this smuggling kingpin behind bars, where he belongs.”