Just 13 Albanian prisoners deported from UK in flop £8million scheme that was meant to send 200 home

Prisoner transfer scheme delivers fraction of promised deportations

A prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and Albania, signed in 2023 with the aim of deporting 200 Albanian prisoners serving sentences of four years or more, has resulted in only 13 transfers so far, according to a source in the Albanian Ministry of Justice quoted by both the Daily Express and The Sun. The scheme, which cost the UK £8 million, was designed to send serious offenders—including killers, rapists, and drug dealers—to serve their sentences in Albania, freeing up space in overcrowded British prisons and reducing costs to taxpayers.

The low number of transfers was confirmed by the Albanian official, who said: "The goal was to transfer 200 Albanian prisoners serving more than four years, but only 13 have been transferred so far." The UK government paid Albania £8 million to refurbish its prisons and implement the deal, as reported by the Daily Express. The Sun added that Albania initially requested the sum, and the UK agreed to provide £4 million per year, though payments are made in part only when prisoners are actually transferred.

Scale of the Albanian prisoner population

Data cited by the Daily Express from the Ministry of Justice indicates that between 1,200 and 1,500 Albanian nationals are currently held in UK prisons, representing around 10% of the total foreign prisoner population—the largest of any nation. The Sun offers a similar estimate, reporting that Albanians have been the largest foreign nationality in UK jails for the past seven years, with roughly 940 prisoners making up nine to 12% of the non-UK offender population. A Sun on Sunday probe found that five more Albanians are jailed every day.

Many of these prisoners are illegal migrants who arrived on small boats, while others paid up to £20,000 to be smuggled into the UK in lorries, according to The Sun. The newspaper also reported that among those awaiting transfer are 15 murderers serving life sentences, including Koci Selamaj, 41, who received a minimum 36-year term for the 2021 murder of teacher Sabina Nessa in a South London park. Selamaj attacked two prison officers at HMP Frankland in May 2023, The Sun reported.

Cost implications and delays

Housing a prisoner in UK jails costs taxpayers an average of £56,000 per year, according to both outlets. The Sun noted that Albanian murderers sentenced to 35 years or more can cost at least £2 million in custody costs over their sentences—a claim not included in the Daily Express's reporting.

The low number of transfers has been attributed to bureaucratic and legal challenges. The Daily Express reported that transfers depend on approval from both the Albanian and British governments, and obtaining the necessary legal documentation has proved difficult because most of the prisoners entered the UK illegally. There is also believed to be a backlog of cases in Albania, according to both outlets, as Albanian courts must recognise British sentences before transfers can proceed.

Government response and historical context

A government spokeswoman defended the broader deportation record, telling the Daily Express: "Under this Government, returns and deportations are at their highest level in nearly a decade." She added: "Prisoner Transfer Agreements are only one way in which we get foreign criminals out of our jails," and noted: "We have changed the law so they can now be deported earlier than ever before, and over 11,700 have been removed since July 2024." The same statements were quoted by The Sun.

The scheme was announced in 2023 with cross-party support. Then-Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, a Conservative, said at the time: "This deal will speed up the removal of these offenders and give victims confidence that serious criminals will continue to face justice," as reported by The Sun. The Daily Express also reported the signing but did not include Chalk's quote.

While the scheme has clearly fallen short of its stated goal, the government emphasises that it is only one tool in a wider effort to remove foreign criminals. The Albanian source's comments suggest ongoing frustrations with the pace of transfers, but the full extent of the delays and their causes remains a matter of administrative detail.