People smugglers' yacht that offered £13,500-a-head 'premium' service to asylum seekers desperate to get into UK could be yours as it goes up for auction

Published: 11:00, 23 July 2026 | Updated: 11:16, 23 July 2026 A yacht that was used by people smugglers to help asylum seekers reach the UK is up for auction. The Uforia yacht found itself at the centre of a bizarre plot involving Ukrainian nationals Vladyslav Cherniavskyi, 37, and Oleksandr Yavtushenko, 43, in July last year. The two men used the vessel to travel from northern France carrying five migrants – four Albanian men and one Vietnamese woman – who had each paid £13,500 for the 'premium' people smuggling service. However, in a major cross–border operation, Border Force officers were able to intercept the yacht off the coast of the Isle of Wight and escort it to Gosport Marina in Hampshire following a tip–off from the French authorities. In March, Cherniavskyi and Yavtushenko were jailed for six and five years respectively.  During sentencing, the judge said the pair were involved in 'an insidious black market, draining families of money and perpetuating the misery of illegal immigration'.  Now, the Uforia – which is worth an estimated £14,960 – has been put up for sale by Wilsons Auctions and is due to be sold on Thursday, July 30. The auctioneers wrote that the boat is 'known for solid construction, stable handling, and forgiving nature, making it a great choice for both experienced sailors and those stepping up to a capable offshore yacht'. The Uforia, a yacht used to smuggle people illegally into the UK, has been put up for auction  Pictured: Vladyslav Cherniavskyi (left) and Oleksandr Yavtushenko (right) who have been jailed for six and five years respectively  It is also still moored in Gosport, close to where it was seized last year.  An inspection of the yacht said: 'A visual inspection has only been carried out on this vessel, the auxiliary engine was not started and no operational testing was undertaken, during which no readily apparent external defects were observed. 'Externally, the vessel exhibited general signs of age and use, including worn paint finishes to the hull.  'The mast and standing rig appeared to be in place at the time of inspection; however, the age and service history of the rigging could not be verified. 'The hull appeared, in so far as could be visually ascertained during the inspection afloat, to be structurally serviceable: however bilge water was present. Between August 2024 and July 2025, the yacht was spotted on multiple occasions in the English Channel. The men were spotted by sailors making a 'clumsy attempt' to moor the boat at Itchenor, in Chichester Harbour, last August. Six people were then seen departing the yacht. The Uforia being escorted to the UK by the Border Force. In a major cross–border operation, Border Force officers were able to intercept the yacht off the coast of the Isle of Wight and escort it to Gosport Marina in Hampshire following a tip–off from the French authorities A woman and child were also transported from France to the same harbour in June 2025.  While the Home Office has previously stressed that illegal migration via yachts is rare, experts have argued that smuggling people into small ports and harbours is a 'very real threat'.  One convicted people smuggler told the BBC bringing people into private marinas was 'easy' and 'low–risk'. A recent report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration found  evidence that vessels such as yachts and fishing boats were being used by migrants to enter the UK clandestinely.