G7 countries agree new plan to dismantle migrant smuggling gangs
The Home Secretary has today (4 October 2024) agreed a major international plan to smash criminal gangs responsible for smuggling illegal migrants into G7 countries.
The G7 Anti-Smuggling Action Plan will deliver a boost to UK law enforcement by fostering closer cooperation with G7 partners to bolster border security, combat transnational organised crime, and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation by migrant smugglers.
New joint investigative actions will be carried out by law enforcement teams to target criminal smuggling routes, while intelligence sharing between G7 countries will ensure faster identification and disruption of these dangerous networks.
This approach will enhance the capabilities of the Border Security Command and its new Commander Martin Hewitt CBE QPM in coordinating investigations with international partners to reduce illegal migration to the UK.
Other measures announced in the plan include:
- sharing best practice, including disrupting supply chains that facilitate people-smuggling, such as small boat parts, seizing the illegal financial assets of criminals, and improving cooperation across global transport routes
- working with social media platforms and internet providers to remove harmful content that promotes illegal migration services or advertises fake job opportunities
- strengthening capabilities to monitor and anticipate irregular migration flows at both global and regional levels
The agreement comes after discussions by the Home Secretary at the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ meeting in Avellino, Italy, this week. It marks another step in the UK’s reset of relations with key allies and affirms a shared commitment to working together to tackle complex cross-border issues.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:
Criminal smuggling gangs who organise small boat crossings undermine our border security and put lives at risk. Our new government is rapidly accelerating cooperation with other countries to crack down on these dangerous gangs.
Today’s newly agreed G7 action plan provides an important focus on international law enforcement and reflects our determination to work with global partners on these shared challenges. New international joint investigative teams will help coordinate cross-border action and supplement the measures we have already taken to set up the UK Border Security Command and back it with new funding.
The plan will help to increase both voluntary and enforced returns of migrants to countries of origin. It aims to offer migrants more choices and improve the overall management of migration flows.
Instrumental to delivery of this plan in the UK is the new Border Security Command, under the leadership of Martin Hewitt CBE QPM, which will be armed with enhanced powers and coordinate the work of law enforcement and intelligence agencies. It will coordinate investigations with European counterparts and will benefit from a £75 million investment in cutting-edge technology, additional officers, and new covert capabilities.
In July, the government committed a further £84 million to addressing the root causes of irregular migration. This funding will go towards programmes aimed at tackling the drivers of migration at their source, reducing the need for dangerous and irregular journeys.
Since taking office, the Home Secretary has increased efforts to work with international partners to tackle the challenges posed by irregular migration. This has included engagement with the United States Attorney General, Merrick Garland, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, and Executive Director of Europol, Catherine De Bolle.
The UK will continue to drive focus on tackling migrant smuggling with the G7 under Canada’s presidency next year, and at next month’s INTERPOL General Assembly in Glasgow.
Updates to this page
Last updated 21 October 2024 + show all updates
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Link to action plan added.
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First published.