- The United Kingdom announced that it would now treat people-smuggling gangs as terrorists under a new sanction regime
- The UK has partnered with about 40 countries to dismantle smuggling networks and strengthen border security
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged world leaders to collaborate in tackling organised immigration crime
The United Kingdom has declared that people-smuggling gangs facilitating illegal migration will now be treated as terrorists under a newly introduced sanction regime.
The announcement follows a BBC report exposing UK immigration scammers who defraud foreign nationals seeking employment in the country.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer made this declaration at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit in London, emphasising that his government has struck agreements with around 40 nations to dismantle these criminal networks.
The goal is to disrupt their operations entirely and reinforce border security to protect law-abiding citizens.
As part of the initiative, the UK will impose stringent measures on individuals involved in the people-smuggling trade.
These include asset freezes, travel bans, and imprisonment.
Starmer also revealed that authorities have already shut down 18,000 social media accounts linked to smugglers this year, crippling their ability to advertise their illicit services.
“Illegal migration is a major global security threat. It undermines our control over who enters the country and places an unfair burden on hardworking citizens who end up paying the price, whether through hotel costs or overstretched public services,” Starmer stated.
He highlighted that illegal migrants are often vulnerable individuals exploited by criminal organisations.
To curb this, the UK government is introducing strict new laws mandating companies to verify employees’ legal right to work.
These checks, which take minutes and are free of charge, will be compulsory.
Failure to comply could lead to fines of up to £60,000, prison sentences of up to five years, or even business closures.
Starmer called on world leaders to unite in tackling organised immigration crime, noting that small boat crossings into the UK continue to rise.
“Organised immigration crime is not an unsolvable problem. We must pool our resources, share intelligence, and disrupt these criminal networks at every stage, from North Africa and the Middle East to our own streets,” he urged.
The UK has already revised its international collaboration strategy and is making strides toward a more effective crackdown on people smuggling.
Starmer stressed that collective action is necessary as these gangs exploit weak institutional frameworks and divisions between nations.
“We must each take firm action within our own borders. The public demands a resolution to this crisis. The only way to dismantle these smuggling rings permanently is through global cooperation,” he concluded.
Nigeria, UAE strengthen ties amid concerns of gold smuggling
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, raised alarms regarding the illegal export of Nigerian gold to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), suggesting that stronger trade regulations and partnerships are needed to tackle this issue.
The Minister called for collaborative strategies to regulate gold trade and benefit both countries.