“World-first” sanctions on people smuggling gangs are set to come into force within months as migrant Channel crossings hit record highs.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has accelerated plans to crack down on criminals who traffic migrants to Britain in small boats.
Foreign Office sources suggested that the National Crime Agency (NCA) has already identified suspects for sanctions and they would be ready to go when the legislation is passed by Parliament, which is expected to be before the Autumn.
The government has insisted “nothing is off the table”, with penalties set to include UK include travel bans, asset freezes and disqualification from being the director of a British company.
However, critics have argued the measures are too minor to definitively stop small boat crossings.
Record numbers of migrants are crossing the English Channel in small boats. More than 1,000 people arrived in the UK on Friday and Saturday, according to Home Office figures.
It takes the total to 18,400 so far this year - 45% higher than at this point in 2024.
Mr Lammy said: “We’re accelerating efforts with our partners to pinpoint where sanctions can have a clear disruptive and deterrent effect on key individuals in these criminal networks, and which can complement existing law enforcement action.
“This will ensure that when our sanctions regime is launched, it has maximum impact from day one.
“This is about dismantling networks, hitting the profiteers hard and sending a clear message: that criminals who put people’s lives at risk have nowhere to hide as we restore order to the immigration system.”
Under the plan investigators will assess which targets should be prioritised for sanctions, from individuals directly involved in people-smuggling to financers and companies that supply small boats and other maritime equipment.
The Government hopes the sanction measures, first announced in January, will help breakdown the gangs and networks behind the migrant traffickers.
The new powers will work in tandem with other policies announced under Labour’s promise to “smash the gangs”, including extra funding for the NCA and the UK's new Border Security Command (BSC) to make more arrests.
NCA Director General of Operations Rob Jones said: “Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA, and we are putting more resource into targeting the criminal networks behind it than ever before. We are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle people smuggling gangs wherever they operate, using the full range of the tactics at our disposal.”
Nick Dale, Director of Intelligence at Stop The Traffik said: “Traffickers run criminal enterprises that rely on exploiting some of the most vulnerable in society, and they are motivated by greed.
“At Stop The Traffik, we are really pleased that the FCDO is taking the view that traffickers should be sanctioned to prevent them from enjoying their ill-gotten gains, and keen to play our part in making sure that traffickers have no place to hide.”
