Unscrupulous smugglers are using TikTok to promote Albanian immigrants to Great Britain.
The videos are accompanied by rhythmic Albanian rap music to advertise discounted deals. Cross-border travel has skyrocketed in 2022, thanks in part to such glossy TikTok ads.
This is just one of the stylish TikTok videos (without sound) used by unscrupulous smugglers urging Albanians to cross the English Channel to Britain.
With an accompanying dynamic soundtrack of Albanian rap music, the footage advertises discounted offers on illegal transportation for men, women and even children traveling from France.
Prices start at £3,000 for adults and £2,500 for children and all guarantee a “100% safe crossing” using top quality rigid inflatable boats with life jackets provided.
Even with winter approaching and the stormy seas and gale-force winds, the videos boast that the voyages will continue “all year round regardless of the weather.”
Albanians interested in making the journey across the English Channel, which is one of the busiest sea routes in the world, are urged to message smugglers directly for details about upcoming crossings.
In collaboration with Kurdish gangs, the Albanians advertise the routes and take money from prospective travelers, while offering those without the cash the option of working for criminal gangs in the United Kingdom to pay back the money.
Prices start at £3,000 for adults and £2,500 for children.
Despite efforts to limit the crossings, the numbers continue to rise thanks to glossy advertisements posted on TikTok and Albanian social media. Even with winter approaching and the stormy seas and gale-force winds, the videos boast that the journeys will continue “all year round regardless of the weather.”
Based around the French port of Dunkirk, the gang's leaders use fast rigid inflatable boats from China with powerful outboard motors to make the journey across the English Channel in less than an hour.
The migrants arrive on the coast having made the journey from Albania either through Italy or through Serbia, Croatia and through Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
A source in the albanian Capital tirana told MailOnline: "The gangs are earning tens of thousands of pounds from people who want to cross and all this Because in albania wages and work are very low and non-existent."
An Albanian in a small village knows that his prospects are poor if he stays in his country, but he knows that if he goes to the UK he can make a lot of money and send it back to his family.
He may end up working at a car wash or be recruited to work in a cannabis factory, but not all Albanians are criminals, many are hard workers and will work hard for a good living.
"Albanian Immigrants are happy to do the construction work and manual labor that many britons don't want To do, because they know that at least they will get paid and make some money, something they have very few chances of doing in Albania."
Prices have fallen from a high of £5,000 in the summer and Albanians now account for around 60% of all crossings from France to Britain.
A video posted on TikTok earlier this week showed migrants in a boat heading towards the White Cliffs of Dover, while a ship sailing towards France was clearly visible in the background.
It advertised crossings for £3,000, while another showed a group made up entirely of young Albanian men on a boat making the Albanian eagle symbol with both hands, as they laughed and joked that they were heading for Britain.
The journey is extremely dangerous and the rising numbers come despite the tragedy last November, when a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of France, leaving 27 dead.
While in September 57 migrants, mostly Albanians, had to be rescued by the French coast guard after their boat began to sink.
Albanians can enter France as they come from an EU candidate member state and can stay for 90 days without a visa and so many are even able to make the journey from Albania to the English Channel coast by public transport using trains and ships.
Source: Daily Mail
