Albanian criminals held in UK prisons costing taxpayer £57million a year, figures reveal

ALBANIAN criminals held in prisons here are costing the taxpayer £57million a year, figures show.

There are 1,336 Albanians serving time in jails in England and Wales, according to an official report.

With the average cost of keeping a prisoner at £42,670 a year, according to the Ministry of Justice, the cost of holding them would come to £57,007,120.

The bill emerged as stats show 12,000 Albanians have reached the UK in small boats so far this year.

The country’s director of immigration police Saimir Boshnjaku said many were forced to work for gangsters to repay the cost of being smuggled to the UK.

He said: “Those that make money from drugs come back here driving Maseratis and Mercedes and they buy a big villa in the village.”

Albanian political respondent Muhamed Veliu has called on the UK government to issue more visas so people can migrate safely and legally.

“Only a small portion of people arriving on the boat end up in crime.

“The majority of them arrive in the UK because it’s a huge market that needs labour in building construction.

“It’s the level of salaries in the UK that attracts Albanians.”