Illegal work in the UK was unbearable, says migrants

An Albanian citizen, who illegally traveled to Britain, has told the BBC how his life became “unbearable” after working on the Cannabis Farm.

Gzim, who wished to remain anonymous, was one of the over 12,600 Albanians who visited Britain in 2022 by a small boat – for the peak year English channel migrant crossing,

Last year, after a campaign by UK and Albanian governments, the number of albanians traveling dangerous fell to only 616 people.

Gajim says that he is speaking to warn others, as the UK government has resumed a social media campaign with the aim of warning Albanians that illegally enter the UK into potential difficulties.

He says he found a smuggler on Tikok, who agreed to help England, and after traveling to France via buses, he reached Duncark, where a boat was started for Dover.

He says that his cousin, who was already in Britain, paid a smuggler £ 3,500 for him to cross the channel.

After being placed in a hotel, he says he could not leave anyone’s attention to work on the cannabis farm.

He said: “I wanted a better life, to help my family, like all other people who have traveled this.

“I knew that there were risks related to such business, but I hoped that I would not be inauspicious.”

He says that the cannabis field was broken and due to this he was not paid.

Gazim moved into a construction role where he says he forced to take low wages – not enough to cover his own expenses and return his family home.

Five months after reaching Britain, he said that it became “unbearable”, he decided to return to Albania.

He said: “I dreamed of other things. I hope I would make it.

“Nobody wants to leave their homeland. Nobody wants to leave their people and their friends. But in Albania it is a war to survive and I had no other option.”

New Social media Advertisements are exposing the stories of migrants who illegally entered the UK to “face debt and exploitation”.

This approach originally began in 2023 under the Orthodox government.

after this A cooperation agreement Signed by UK and Albania under the previous government to reduce and reduce illegal stay.

The number on the small boats had already started falling before the agreement was killed.

The National Crime Agency said that due to a decrease in crossing A number of different factorsLaw enforcement activity, deportation, reduced travel demand to UK and possible displacement for other methods.

Last year, more than 2,600 people were returned to Albania, which was more than any other nationality.

Balkan expert Andy Hokeshaj told the AA Committee of MPs in 2022 that he estimated that about 40% of people leave Albania for “economic opportunities”.

Lavdrim Krasshi, an MP of the ruling Samajwadi Party, said that some people were lured on social media with better life promises in Britain.

He told the BBC: “The promotion was especially young people to come to the UK and if you make it there, do not worry about any finance because the money actually grows on trees, and we know that it is not so.”

“The numbers illegally traveling illegally over the years have decreased a huge decrease, but can always be done more”.

“It is not in our interest to lose our young people, we want to thrive them in the Albanian economy”.

But there is also a concern about the smuggling of Albanians in Britain.

They are still among the most common nationalities National referral system Potential modern day as slaves.

A Democratic Party opposition MP Zoradh Tabu said: “When people go there, they have to face a different reality”.

“Many of them are paying a lot to go to Britain, many of them are leaving the families behind because they are unemployed men.”

Albanian TV journalist Eraldo Harlikaj says that the country’s depression is an issue for years.

“We have a lot of problems here,” he said.

“Since 2022, nothing has changed about Albania when we had an extreme of illegal stay.

“Most of the young Albanians who wanted to go to England are in England, so there is no one else to send it to us.”

Since 2022, the British Embassy has invested £ 6M in a project with the aim of preventing the flow of people leaving North Albania for illegal work in Britain.

The New Person Program is designed to create jobs and business opportunities.

Team leader, Vasil Chornei said: “Criminal groups are organized using their social media, which are trying to woo people in the smuggling scheme.”

He said, “Trying to change the story with a positive image that people can make their lives here.”

The project provides business advice in employment and entrepreneurship skills and coaches to people.

Kukes Mayor Albert Halillaj said: “The number of migrants going abroad is decreasing. The young people of Cook are not migrating anymore.

“Tourism is the only focus in the future of the Kukes, and I want to make a public call to all dwellings abroad that they can return here and they will get support for their investment in every field.”

The migration agreement with Britain has resulted in close support for people to deal with smuggling.

The head of the Albanian border and the migration police, Saimir Boshnjaku said: “Albanian law enforcement officers have been deployed in Britain, especially in Dover, to support British officials”.

A network of UK-Christian-funded cameras to deal with illegal migration and criminal gangs has also been installed on the Albania-Kosovo border.

Equipment includes one Drone fleet And the number plate recognition cameras use to identify British vehicles that criminals use to avoid detection by local police.

Minister of Europe, Stephen Douti said: “By working directly with the Albanian communities, we are discouraging dangerous visits in the UK.

“With strict border control and breakdown on people-smuggled gangs, the government focuses on international challenge and is reaching its plan for change.”