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Albanian Migrants in UK Jails Almost Double in 4 years


The number of Albanian migrants locked up in British jails has almost doubled in four years, analysis by The Epoch Times has found.

According to Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures, almost 1,400 Albanian foreign nationals are currently in custody in England and Wales—compared to just over 800 in 2019.

Those from the Balkans now make up the biggest number of all foreign inmates in the UK’s soaring prison population, and fall just second to the biggest overall nationality—British prisoners.

The figures can be revealed just days after the government announced it was sending 200 jailed Albanian prisoners home to serve the rest of their sentence—amid concerns that UK prisons are nearing capacity.

Offenders handed terms of four years or more will return to their native country to serve the remainder, MoJ said last week.

The arrangement will also see Britain provide support to Albania to help modernise its own prison system, according to the department.

Earlier this month, justice minister Lord Bellamy, KC, told Parliament that jails are “quite tight” and at 99 percent capacity.

Read more: Albanian Migrants in UK Jails Almost Double in 4 years