An Afghan national who casually vaped while piloting a small boat full of migrants across the English Channel has been jailed. Basir Ramatullah, 21, is the seventh in less than two months to have been sent to prison under a new offence. He was sentenced to two years at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday, July 23.
Details of the crossing
Ramatullah piloted a small boat on May 2, which carried 53 other people from the French coast into UK waters before being intercepted by Border Security Command vessels. The boat was "severely overcrowded" and aerial drone footage showed that some passengers were not wearing life jackets, the Home Office said.
Ramatullah was identified by specialist Immigration Enforcement officers stationed in the Channel using the captured footage, which showed he was vaping during the crossing. He was later arrested by Kent Police on May 3.
New offence and sentencing
The pilot was convicted of a new offence introduced as part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, which makes it illegal to put lives at risk by facilitating small boat crossings of the English Channel. It carries a maximum sentence of up to six years in prison. In less than two months, small boat pilots have been jailed for a total of 14 years under this offence, officials said.
Analysis by the Press Association of government data showed 77,183 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel during Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership after Labour’s election victory in July 2024. According to Home Office figures, 12,641 arrivals have been recorded this year. This is 46% lower than the number recorded by this time last year and down 20% on the same period in 2024.
Minister of State in the Home Office, Anna Turley, said: "With seven small boat pilots now jailed under the new endangerment offence, we are sending a clear message to the criminal gangs. Those risking lives and bringing illegal migrants to our shores will end up behind bars. We have delivered a 74% surge in arrests for organised immigration crime, with wider disruption activity against these criminal networks, including arrests, convictions and seizures up 50%. We said we would smash the gangs and that is exactly what we are doing."
Other pilots sentenced
Six other small boat pilots have been jailed since June. Mohammad Tajik, 32, from Afghanistan, piloted 75 migrants into UK waters and was jailed for two years on June 10. Alnour Ali, 27, from Sudan, piloted a boat on April 9 carrying 73 others and was jailed for two years and three months on June 10. Azzeddine Ainbouzid, 29, from Algeria, ferried 67 people on April 18 and was jailed for two years on June 25. Jima Bol Chuol, 27, from South Sudan, ferried 71 individuals on March 22 and was jailed for two years on July 15. Charun Magok, 19, from Sudan, piloted a boat on March 20 and was jailed for 16 months on July 15. Samir Hassen, 26, from Somalia, piloted a boat on June 18 and was jailed for two years and four months on July 21.
