TWO Canvey men have been charged after 11 Albanians were found on a boat, off the Kent coast.

Border Force officers boarded a yacht in Ramsgate and found nine Albanian adults, aged between 19 and 41 – six women and three men – and two children.

The Border Force’s cutter, Vigilant, worked with the French authorities.

The Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement Criminal Investigations team attended the scene and arrested the two men from Canvey, who were also on board the vessel, just before noon on Sunday, March 23.

The pair, aged 36 and 47, were charged with facilitation and have been bailed to appear at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court on April 24.

A 32-year-old British man was also arrested on suspicion of facilitation and human trafficking at an address in Enfield, north London.

All 11 Albanians are being questioned and will face removal from the UK if found to have no leave to remain.

The operation was carried out with assistance from the French authorities.

Paul Morgan, Director of Border Force South East and Europe, said: “Border Force bases staff at ports in northern France to stop would-be illegal immigrants before they can reach the UK.

“The crossings in northern France are among the most secure in the world.

“In the year to April 2013, we prevented about 11,000 individual attempts to cross the Channel illegally.

“Border Force works in close collaboration with the French authorities to maintain strong border controls.

“We will deal robustly with anyone who seeks to evade those controls, taking prompt action to detain and remove them.”