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Two Ukrainians, a former ballet dancer and a chef, have been jailed in the UK for trying to smuggle in six of their fellow nationals.

The court in Portsmouth sentenced Vladyslav Kurtoglu, 50, to six years in prison on charges of assisting unlawful immigrationn. His accomplice, Dmytro Kruik, 29, will spend three years and nine months in jail, RFE/RL's Ukrainian service reports.

The men were detained on May 20, 2017, after they were caught in a yacht at Hayling Island where they had arrived from north-west France.

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Read alsoHow can Ukraine keep qualified workers from leaving countryKriuk - who took a grinning selfie while on the Tazik yacht - admitted assisting unlawful immigration at an earlier hearing. Vladyslav Kurtoglu, 50, was convicted of the same offense after a trial. 

Kruik told the border patrol that the purpose of their arrival in Britain was tourism.

A prosecutor told the court how there had been "significant planning and resources" invested into the botched illegal people smuggling voyage. Forged documents were also used over the authenticity of the boat and right to sail to the UK.