A major international people smuggling kingpin, whose equipment was used in thousands of dangerous Channel crossings, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison following his arrest on the way to a boat show.
The Arrest and Conviction
Adem Savas, a 45-year-old Turkish national, was jailed in Belgium on Wednesday 7th January 2026. He was convicted of people smuggling and membership of an organised crime group. His arrest came as he flew into Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on 13th November 2024, intending to visit a marine equipment exhibition.
The arrest was the culmination of a lengthy international investigation involving the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), Belgian Federal Judicial Police, and Dutch authorities. Savas admitted to the charges on 3rd December following a hearing at a court in Bruges, which also imposed a fine of 400,000 euros. Three co-defendants received combined sentences totalling 38 years.
A Key Supplier to Smuggling Networks
Investigators identified Savas as the most significant supplier of boats and engines to gangs organising perilous journeys across the English Channel. Operating from 2019 until his capture, he is assessed to have supplied gear used in around half of all crossings in 2023, amounting to thousands of incidents.
Rob Jones, the NCA's Director General of Operations, stated: "He pretended to run a legitimate maritime supply company, but in reality he knew exactly how the equipment he provided would be used. He also knew exactly how unsuitable it was for long sea crossings." The NCA believes Savas likely made millions of pounds, charging around £4,000 per package of boats and engines.
His operation involved importing cheap "Parsun" outboard engines from China, moving them overland from Turkey to Bulgaria, and then across Europe to storage in Germany. A haulage firm based in the Netherlands facilitated the logistics.
Links to Fatalities and a Wider Network
Savas's equipment has been linked to "numerous fatal events" in the Channel. Evidence presented in court included a chilling exchange of messages from November 2021, following the deaths of 27 migrants when their boat sank. A crime boss sent Savas images of a white rubber boat alongside a news screenshot showing an identical vessel used in the fatal crossing.
Savas was initially identified by the NCA during an investigation into Kurdish crime boss Hewa Rahimpur, who was arrested in Ilford, east London, in 2022. Rahimpur, extradited to Belgium and jailed for 13 years, headed a network behind more than 10,000 small boat crossings. Analysis of his devices revealed Savas was his key supplier.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, said: "We are cracking down on the criminals exchanging human lives for cash. Our brilliant National Crime Agency officers have worked alongside international allies to take down this smuggling kingpin." The operation was coordinated through a Europol task force and a Joint Investigation Team facilitated by Eurojust.
