At least 1,700 serious organised criminals from Albania are walking free in Britain, police fear

• Suspects are believed to have arrived illegally in UK on small boats and lorries 

Police fear at least 1,700 serious organised criminals from Albania are walking free in Britain.

Drug bosses, people smugglers, fraudsters and sex traffickers are believed to be among the individuals currently at large.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police and National Crime Agency (NCA) have requested records on each of the suspects from authorities in Albania in a bid to bring them to justice.

It is believed all the suspects arrived illegally in the UK on small boats and lorries.

At least 1,700 organised criminals who are believed to have arrived illegally in the UK from Albania are feared by police to be at large

James Cleverly met with Albanian Interior Minister Taulant Balla last week to discuss tackling illegal immigration 

The figure came to light as Home Secretary James Cleverly met Albanian Interior Minister Taulant Balla last week to discuss tackling illegal immigration and serious organised crime.

An insider said: ‘UK police requested records on 1,700 Albanian migrants suspected of being serious organised criminals, which the Albanian police supplied very promptly. The Albanian police have requested data on all nationals who have been convicted of crimes in the UK so they can start confiscating ill-gotten gains such as property, cash, jewellery and vehicles in Albania.’

Earlier this year, drugs kingpin Denis Xhelili, 38, an Albanian migrant, was jailed for ten years for plotting to import thousands of kilos of cocaine and heroin into the UK.

The Home Office said that the UK and Albania were keen to target ‘illicit finance, corruption, narcotics and organised immigration crime’.

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