Migrants 'are now coming inland': Rural villages are 'the new target for yachts smuggling people and drugs'

Published: 01:47, 29 May 2026 | Updated: 01:54, 29 May 2026 Rural inland villages are becoming the new targets for migrants and drugs being smuggled over in yachts. There are up to 9,000 locations which could be used to sneak people and goods into the country, according to Home Office intelligence estimates.  Many of these are quiet, inland communities far from the coast. The National Crime Agency has even began installing signs in villages warning residents to report suspicious-looking boats. Airmyn, a Yorkshire village with a population of just 800, has been flagged as a location for 'suspicious' boat landing. The village, 35 miles from the sea, has seen posters erected asking locals to consider if they've spotted 'boats arriving at unusual times'. The poster, erected as part of the Operation Kraken campaign, urges members of the public to 'report it' and 'sort it', providing contact details for the UK Border Watch via Crimestoppers.  The warning posters are sponsored by Border Force, the Joint Maritime Security Centre, National Police Chiefs’ Council, NCA and Counter Terrorism Police. In Chichester, five men were arrested after a yacht ferrying seven illegal Albanian migrant was intercepted in the city's marina. The National Crime Agency has even began installing signs in villages warning residents to report suspicious looking boats. (One poster erected in Airmyn, Yorkshire) In Chichester, five men were arrested after a yacht (pictured) ferrying seven illegal Albanian migrant was intercepted in the city's marina A TikTok post from a people smuggler reads: 'Who is in Belgium? The yacht will be back tomorrow morning. Safe passage through the checkpoints' Another post says: 'Tomorrow yacht to UK'. It is accompanied by an image of a luxury yacht alongside British and Albanian flags and a sunset Two crew members, one Albanian, 25, and a Brit, 42, were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration to the UK. Two Albanian men and another British national were also arrested on suspicion of being a 'shore party' to meet the boat. It came a year after a similar smuggling operation, where Border Force intercepted a yacht filled with 20 Albanians off the coast of Cornwall. Speaking after the arrests, a former people smuggler, who transported dozens of migrants into seaside towns, said yachts were viewed as an easy way to bring people into the country. People smugglers are now advertising places on yachts to customers using TIkTok. One advert on the social media platform, reported by the Telegraph, said: 'Tomorrow yacht to UK'. It is accompanied by an image of a luxury yacht alongside British and Albanian flags and a sunset. Another post shows a picture of a less glamorous yacht on a Belgian river. It reads: 'Who is in Belgium? The yacht will be back tomorrow morning. Safe passage through the checkpoints.'    In a report last year, John Tuckett, the chief inspector of Borders and Immigration, said 'at the most basic level', Border Force did not know how many locations' could be used for illegal landings.    He said Home Office Intelligence estimated that there were between 7,000 to 9,000 locations'. The Home Office has been contacted for comment. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.