A crime group which tried to smuggle 69 Albanian migrants into the UK has been jailed.

In total, the gang were sentenced to a combined 35 years in prison for the offence and plotting to bring in 50 people every week.

One of the five men, Sergejs Kuliss, 32, was arrested at an address in Tonbridge, for his role in the crime.

Based in London the group attempted to smuggle the Albanians on Tuesday, November 17, last year, using a 30-metre converted trawler 'Svanic' which was intercepted off the Norfolk coast.

The boat, which was built nearly 60 years ago and had a lifeboat for just 20 people, set sail from the Ostend area of Belgium and was heading towards Great Yarmouth.

The National Crime Agency was alerted to reports of suspicious activity from the Swedish authorities who had to assist the trawler after it ran aground 15 days before picking up the migrants.

Bought for just 20,000 euros in Latvia the month before its trip, the vessel run aground a second time before collecting the migrants in Belgium.

Three crew members - Igor Kosyi, 57, and Volodymyr Mykhailov, 49, both from Ukraine, and Alexsandrs Gulpe, 44, from Latvia – were arrested by the NCA on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration. The 69 migrants were handed to Immigration Enforcement.

NCA investigators seized a laptop from the vessel, which enabled them to identify the UK-based gang which had orchestrated the attempt.

The computer had been given to the crew by Latvian national Sergejs Kuliss, 32, of Albert Basin Way, Newham, London. Phone evidence showed Kuliss was in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on the night of the smuggling attempt, awaiting the arrival of the boat.

Kuliss had been in contact with fellow conspirators Arturas Jusas, 35, living in Lambeth, and Kfir Ivgi, 39, living in Finchley.

Phone messages showed the three ment spent weeks discussing their plans to invest in a boat for the purpose of smuggling people.

'These men had no qualms trying to smuggle vulnerable migrants on board an unseaworthy vessel...'

Audio messages taking from the phone heard Jusas boast to Ivgi that he planed to "bring every week 50 people".

After the interception the gang shared online news reports about the incident with each other, with Ivgi messaging Jusas to say "clean the…phone".

Jusas, Ivgi and Kuliss were arrested during a series of NCA raids in June this year after investigators were able to piece together their involvement in the plot.

They were charged alongside Kosyi, Mykhailov, and Gulpe with conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration.

Jusas pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court on August 6, but following an eight-week week trial at the same court Ivgi, Kuliss, Gulpe and Kosyi were found guilty on 17 November – exactly a year since the boat was intercepted.

Volodymyr Mykhailov was found not guilty.

Jusas, Ivgi, Kuliss and Kosyi were sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, December 21. Gulpe’s sentencing was adjourned to a later date.

NCA Director of Investigations Nikki Holland said: “These men had no qualms about trying to smuggle vulnerable migrants on board an unseaworthy vessel, with ambitions to bring in hundreds more using this deadly method.

“Their sole motivation was monetary greed so I’m delighted they are now beginning lengthy jail terms for these despicable crimes.

“Working with partners like Border Force and Immigration Enforcement, we will relentlessly pursue people smugglers and bring them before the courts to face the consequence of their actions.”