UK Government to Host International Summit on People-Smuggling Gangs
Representatives from 40 countries will convene in London to address the global challenge of organized immigration crime.
The UK Government is set to host the first international summit dedicated to combating people-smuggling gangs, with participation from ministers and enforcement officials from 40 countries scheduled to take place in London on Monday and Tuesday.
This summit aims to foster collaboration to tackle criminal networks involved in the organized immigration crime linked to small boat crossings in the English Channel, a growing concern that reflects a larger issue of human trafficking for profit.
In the past year, authorities reported taking down over 8,000 social media adverts promoting perilous crossings, which smugglers have increasingly shifted to encrypted communication channels to evade detection.
Efforts to curb these activities have resulted in the seizure of about 600 engines and hundreds of arrests aimed at dismantling the smuggling operations.
Law enforcement agencies have reportedly increased the financial burden on smugglers by driving up the costs of engines and boats to approximately £14,000, a strategy intended to render these illegal ventures economically unviable.
The summit will also emphasize tracking the financial flows associated with smuggling operations.
The Hawala system, a traditional means of remittance used across various nations, is believed to facilitate the illicit transfer of significant sums linked to illegal immigration, including Channel crossings.
Countries like Albania, Vietnam, and Iraq—key origins for migrants traveling to the UK—will be represented at the summit, alongside other nations such as France, the United States, and China.
2023 has seen a record influx of individuals arriving in the UK via these dangerous routes, prompting the government to extend right-to-work checks to include casual and temporary workers as part of ongoing amendments to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill currently progressing through Parliament.
This legislation aims to create new criminal offenses related to people-smuggling and bestow police and enforcement agencies with powers resembling counter-terrorism measures, focused on apprehending and penalizing those involved in human trafficking.
The right-to-work scheme will be expanded to cover gig economy workers, who previously fell outside existing provisions.
Non-compliance could result in fines up to £60,000, business closures, director disqualifications, and prison sentences of up to five years.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper underscored the importance of legal compliance in the labor market, stating that ignoring illegal working enables smugglers to thrive by exploiting individuals seeking better opportunities in the UK. She noted that enforcement efforts have led to the highest rate of returns for those without legitimate rights to remain in the UK in five years, as the government intensifies its crackdown on organized immigration crime.
This summit aims to foster collaboration to tackle criminal networks involved in the organized immigration crime linked to small boat crossings in the English Channel, a growing concern that reflects a larger issue of human trafficking for profit.
In the past year, authorities reported taking down over 8,000 social media adverts promoting perilous crossings, which smugglers have increasingly shifted to encrypted communication channels to evade detection.
Efforts to curb these activities have resulted in the seizure of about 600 engines and hundreds of arrests aimed at dismantling the smuggling operations.
Law enforcement agencies have reportedly increased the financial burden on smugglers by driving up the costs of engines and boats to approximately £14,000, a strategy intended to render these illegal ventures economically unviable.
The summit will also emphasize tracking the financial flows associated with smuggling operations.
The Hawala system, a traditional means of remittance used across various nations, is believed to facilitate the illicit transfer of significant sums linked to illegal immigration, including Channel crossings.
Countries like Albania, Vietnam, and Iraq—key origins for migrants traveling to the UK—will be represented at the summit, alongside other nations such as France, the United States, and China.
2023 has seen a record influx of individuals arriving in the UK via these dangerous routes, prompting the government to extend right-to-work checks to include casual and temporary workers as part of ongoing amendments to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill currently progressing through Parliament.
This legislation aims to create new criminal offenses related to people-smuggling and bestow police and enforcement agencies with powers resembling counter-terrorism measures, focused on apprehending and penalizing those involved in human trafficking.
The right-to-work scheme will be expanded to cover gig economy workers, who previously fell outside existing provisions.
Non-compliance could result in fines up to £60,000, business closures, director disqualifications, and prison sentences of up to five years.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper underscored the importance of legal compliance in the labor market, stating that ignoring illegal working enables smugglers to thrive by exploiting individuals seeking better opportunities in the UK. She noted that enforcement efforts have led to the highest rate of returns for those without legitimate rights to remain in the UK in five years, as the government intensifies its crackdown on organized immigration crime.
