Bulgarian customs seize 70 inflatable boats used for UK migrant trafficking

Close to 70 smuggled inflatable boats have been seized at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint in Bulgaria since the beginning of the year.

For the second year in a row, at the request of the United Kingdom, Bulgarian customs officers have been stopping inflatable boats at the border with Turkey, which are used for illegal migrant trafficking across the English Channel.

Over the past two years, nearly 200 boats hidden in trucks have been seized at the checkpoint. The most recent case happened just a few days ago, when customs officers discovered 20 dinghies in a Turkish truck, which had been declared as legitimate goods.

"After opening the truck, we found two pallets with 20 large packages each, declared as tarpaulins. After opening the first package, we discovered inflatable rubber boats with rigid sides and reinforced bottoms,” said Krasimir Chapkanov, Head of the Operational Unit at Kapitan Andreevo.

To avoid detection by X-ray scanners, smugglers often label the shipments as tarpaulins, tents, or other dense goods. The engines for the boats travel separately to reduce suspicion further.

The boats are produced in Turkey by unknown companies and, according to authorities, are used for the sole purpose of trafficking migrants.

UK providing funds and training

"They have no documents, no certificates, no warranties. They are made solely for this purpose,” added Chapkanov.

"It has been established that such boats are used by criminal organizations involved in illegal migrant trafficking across the English Channel,” noted Diana Markova, the Bulgarian Customs Agency spokesperson.

To stop the smuggling, Bulgarian customs officers have undergone specialised training and received new equipment. The UK has also been providing Bulgarian authorities with a line of funding to help capture those boats before they ever hit the sea.

“In addition, we received a grant of 600,000 lev (€307,000) in equipment — tools, endoscopes, gas analysers, and lifting gear,” added Markova.

Hundreds of migrants rely on traffickers in their attempts to reach the UK from Europe. In 2024, almost 37,000 undocumented migrants arrived on British shores using similar boats.

Many, however, die along the way due to the poor quality of the boats and the rough nature of the journey across the Channel.

According to a UK analysis, the joint work with Bulgarian authorities has saved at least 6,100 migrant lives and inflicted damages of over €18 million on organised crime groups.