Five immigration officers stole cash from small boat migrants as they arrived at Dover port, a court heard.

Besmir Matera, 36, Jack Mitchell, 33, Lee-Ann Evanson, 42, John Bernthal, 53, and Ben Edwardes, 45, were charged with conspiracy to steal after a probe was launched by Home Office anti-corruption investigators

A sixth officer, David Grundy, 43, is charged alongside them with money laundering offences between August 2021 and November 2022. Albanian Matera is also charged with entering the UK illegally between July 2003 and March 2004 by giving a false name, date of birth, and nationality in an asylum application.

He is also charged with possessing false passports between 2011 and 2022 and a false driving license between 2018 and 2022. Matera is said to have entered the UK on a school trip but told authorities he is from Kosovo.

The six defendants appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court today (January 29).

Rosalind Earis, prosecuting, said: “This case relates to an investigation by Home Office anti-corruption investigators into thefts by immigration officers of property belonging to migrants arriving at Dover between August 2021 to November 2022.

“At the time of these offences, these defendants were colleagues working in immigration enforcement clandestine operation response team, dealing with migrants arriving on small boats across the channel.”

The prosecutor continued: “The Crown alleges that they conspired together to steal cash from migrants on small boats.”

Ms Earis said many of the migrants came to the UK with “relatively large” amounts of cash.

She said: “When the defendants became aware of that, they worked together to take that money from the cells and share it. The converting criminal property relates to taking that money elsewhere after.”

District Judge Paul Goldspring told all six defendants: “Each of you are facing an indictable only offence.

“Each of you will enjoy your bail. If you do not turn up at your next hearing you will be committing a separate offence which will be treated more seriously.”

The defendants were granted conditional bail not to contact six prosecution witnesses ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing at Southwark Crown Court on February 26.