Bulgaria seizes 25 inflatable boats bound for Channel people smugglers

Customs officers in Bulgaria stopped a consignment of twenty‑five inflatable boats that could have carried more than 1,700 illegal migrants across the English Channel. The operation, coordinated with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and Home Office intelligence, is being billed as a blow to the supply chains that underpin people‑smuggling networks targeting the UK.

The two seizures took place at the Lesovo border crossing in eastern Bulgaria. An initial haul of five boats was uncovered in a heavy‑goods vehicle after the NCA’s international network flagged the cargo. Two days later, a second lorry arriving at the same crossing yielded a further twenty boats destined for Germany – a known staging post for smuggling equipment.

Media additions

“Bulgaria is a key partner for the NCA in our work to disrupt the supply chains used by people smuggling networks, and we are extremely grateful for their support and work which led to these seizures.”

Kenny Dron, NCA International Head of Region, via Express

According to the NCA, the intercepted boats were “unseaworthy” and would have been used to move migrants in unsafe conditions. The agency estimates that, had they reached the Channel, the vessels could have facilitated the illegal crossing of more than 1,700 people.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris welcomed the outcome, pointing to a broader strategy aimed at “restoring order and control to UK borders” by choking off the flow of small‑boat equipment.

“Thanks to the efforts of the National Crime Agency, Home Office intelligence teams and our Bulgarian partners, we have stopped thousands of potential crossings.”

Alex Norris, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, via Express

Both officials highlighted that the operation is part of an expanding effort to target the business models of organised crime groups. Since early 2023 the NCA says it has seized “more than 1,000 boats and engines”, with “more than 500 seized in 2025”. Ongoing investigations now number “more than 100” across the supply chain.

Why the seizure matters now

The timing of the Bulgarian raids comes as the United Kingdom continues to record record‑high numbers of small‑boat arrivals. Data compiled by Boatwatch shows that 2025 is on track to become the busiest year for Channel crossings since the phenomenon began, with daily and weekly charts indicating a sustained upward trend.

Official UK figures, published weekly by the Home Office and collated with French operational data, provide the underpinning for policy decisions. The Gov.uk weekly summary explains that “small‑boat” definitions include rigid‑hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs), dinghies and kayaks – the very category of craft intercepted in Bulgaria.

Timeline of the Bulgarian operation

• First seizure: Five inflatable boats discovered in an HGV at Lesovo border crossing after NCA‑Home Office intelligence sharing.
• Second seizure (Friday 26 June): Twenty additional boats found in a second lorry at the same crossing, bound for Germany.
• Outcome: Total of twenty‑five boats removed from the smuggling supply chain; potential capacity of over 1,700 migrants denied.

Broader context and differing perspectives

Boatwatch’s non‑partisan stance notes that “the number of people arriving in small boats has remained high” despite legislative and operational responses. The site does not take a political side but stresses the importance of “clear, factual data” to inform the debate.

The NCA’s statements frame the seizure as a direct disruption of criminal logistics, while the Home Office emphasizes the impact on “border control” and the reduction of “dangerous, unseaworthy boats”.

In addition to the boats, the seizure underscores the role of transit countries such as Greece, Italy and Bulgaria in the wider smuggling network. By intercepting shipments far from the UK, authorities aim to increase the cost and risk for traffickers, a strategy described by the NCA as “targeting the gangs’ business models”.