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An 18-year-old Afghan national, Aman Naseri, has become the first individual to be charged under a new offence related to endangering lives during sea crossings to the UK without valid entry clearance. Naseri is alleged to have piloted a small boat carrying 46 people during the initial Channel crossing of the year on 5 January—the same day the legislation came into effect. He appeared at Margate Magistrates’ Court, where, with the assistance of a Dari interpreter, he pleaded not guilty. Naseri has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear before Canterbury Crown Court.
Prosecutor Julie Farbrace outlined the case against Naseri, stating, “We submit Mr Naseri has piloted a boat across the Channel. There were 46 other people on that boat and that by piloting the boat he put them in danger.” The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that this is the first charge of its kind since the introduction of the offence, which aims to curb dangerous Channel crossings using small boats.
This new offence was enacted as part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, which became law in December. According to the Home Office, the charge targets those who endanger others by overcrowding boats in unsafe conditions, as well as those who display aggression or resist rescue efforts during such crossings. When the legislation was announced in January 2025, Home Office officials cited incidents described as “floating crime scenes,” where reckless behavior led to crushes and drownings on board. The offence covers sea journeys to the UK originating from France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and allows for penalties of up to six years imprisonment for endangering life.
Separately, a man involved in supplying boats and engines to people smugglers has been convicted. Adem Savas, a Turkish national, was sentenced to 11 years in prison and fined €400,000 (£346,000) after admitting to offences related to people smuggling and involvement in an organised crime group. The National Crime Agency described Savas as “without a doubt the most significant supplier” to smuggling gangs responsible for dangerous Channel crossings from 2019 to 2024. Equipment linked to Savas was reportedly used in about half of the Channel crossings in 2023. His sentencing took place in Bruges, Belgium, following his arrest at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in November 2024, after a joint operation by British and Belgian authorities
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