Two men jailed for running premium people-smuggling taxi service' across the Channel

"Both defendants ferried migrants across the English Channel from northern France to the English coast, in particular to Itchenor in Chichester Harbour and they ferried the migrants across the Channel in a yacht called Uforia. It was established some of the migrants paid up to 15,000 euros - this was a premium bespoke service and any one trip would involve three to six migrants being taken across the Channel."

"The yacht, Uforia, purchased by Cherniavskyi for 20,000 US dollars (15,000) in April 2024 and sailed by Yavtushenko, was intercepted on 20 July 2025, four-and-a-half miles off Chichester, West Sussex. Following the operation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), Border Force, and French law enforcement, the vessel was escorted to Gosport Marina, Hampshire."

Vladyslav Cherniavskyi and Oleksandr Yavtushenko, Ukrainian nationals, were convicted of assisting unlawful immigration after running a premium migrant smuggling service using a yacht named Uforia. Cherniavskyi received a six-year sentence while Yavtushenko received five years. The yacht, purchased for $20,000 in April 2024, was intercepted on July 20, 2025, approximately four miles off the West Sussex coast. The operation involved at least eight crossings from northern France to the English coast, particularly to Itchenor in Chichester Harbour. Migrants paid up to 15,000 euros per trip, with each crossing typically involving three to six people. Five migrants were recovered from the final interception and handed to immigration authorities.

Read at www.independent.co.uk