Key facts
- A UK court ruling found that Albanian male trafficking victims face significant risks if returned to Albania.
- The ruling could block the Home Office from deporting many young male trafficking victims to Albania.
- Albanian males are increasingly trafficked into the UK drugs trade, often working in cannabis farms.
- In 2023, 3,463 Albanian males were referred to UK services for potential trafficking.
- The court cited ongoing corruption in Albania and a lack of dedicated shelters for adult male victims.
- The judgment requires the Home Office to consider these risks before deciding on deportations.
A significant court ruling in the UK could prevent the Home Office from deporting many young male trafficking victims to Albania. The decision stems from a legal challenge brought by a 21-year-old Albanian man who was trafficked into the UK and later recognized as a victim, but denied asylum due to the assumption of safety in his home country.
A panel of three senior judges in the immigration court's upper tribunal accepted his claim, finding that he remained at "real risk" from his traffickers even five years after being trafficked and could not safely relocate to Albania. This ruling establishes new country guidance that the Home Office must consider before deciding on the return of male trafficking victims to Albania.
The judgment highlighted that while Albania has made progress in tackling corruption, it remains a widespread issue. Crucially, there are no dedicated shelters for adult male trafficking victims, and the risk of returned victims being re-trafficked is significant. This contrasts with previous trends where females were more commonly trafficked into the sex industry; now, males are predominantly trafficked into the drug trade, working in cannabis farms or distributing illegal substances.
Data shows a sharp increase in Albanian males being referred as potential trafficking victims. In 2023, 3,463 males and 588 females were referred, a substantial rise from previous years. Islington Law Centre, which has expertise in representing Albanian trafficking victims, welcomed the judgment, noting that the court's findings align with their experience of working with deeply traumatized young survivors subjected to brutal practices by organized criminal networks.
Home Office sources indicated they are considering whether to seek permission to appeal the ruling. The government has been trying to increase the number of people it removes from the UK, with Albanians being the most common nationality forcibly removed in recent years.