A man who grew up in Kirk Michael was this week jailed for smuggling Albanian migrants in a car boot.

It follows over two years of investigation by the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigations unit.

Stephen Orgar, aged 45, a British national of Basildon, Essex, but previously of Slieau Curn, Michael, was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court for facilitating illegal entry into the UK.

His accomplice was Flavian Suka, aged 27, an Albanian national living in London.

Orgar was jailed for three years and six months while Suka was given a sentence of seven years and six months – two years and three months for the immigration offences, and five years and three months for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, said: ‘This brazen attempt to cram illegal migrants into an incredibly tight space and smuggle them over our border is unacceptable, and we will not stand for it.

‘These sentences show that we are bringing to justice these gangs, who put profit before lives by smuggling vulnerable people into the country so dangerously.’

On September 19 2019, Orgar, who was driving a hired car from France to the UK, was subject to a routine stop at the UK control zone of the Channel Tunnel in Coquelles, France.

During the search by Border Force officers, two Albanian male migrants were found crammed in the boot of a Skoda Octavia.

Both men were refused entry to the UK and Orgar, who was educated at Kirk Michael School, was arrested.

The subsequent investigation found that Orgar, whose LinkedIn profile says he is an aircraft engineer at Ronaldsway Aircraft Company, was helped by a ‘facilitator’ who was later identified as Flavian Suka, who was living in proximity to the rental place where the car was hired.

Immigration officers carried out a search warrant at Suka’s address where they found a large quantity of class A drugs – including cocaine – estimated to have a street value of around £88,000. Officers found the cocaine hidden within boxes in pipework in the bedroom of Suka’s house.

Additionally, more than £20,000 in cash was found in the property.

Orgar was found guilty following a trial for facilitating illegal entry into the UK and Suka pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Suka also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs, which was investigated by the Metropolitan Police.