UK Home Secretary calls major summit focused on tackling criminal smuggling gangs

LONDON

British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will lead a major operational summit at the National Crime Agency (NCA) headquarters in London, focusing on dismantling the criminal smuggling gangs responsible for the small boat crossings.

The summit came after a tragic incident in the Channel earlier this week, which left at least 12 people dead during the perilous crossing.

Several others remain in critical condition.

“Exploiting vulnerable people is at the heart of the business model of these despicable criminal trafficking gangs,” Cooper said in an official statement on Friday.

“Women and children were crammed into an unsafe boat that literally sank into the water this week. At least 12 people were killed as part of this evil trade. We will not rest until these networks are dismantled and brought to justice,” she added.

The summit will discuss the progress made by UK law enforcement agencies in disrupting smuggling activities.

In addition, the focus will be on strengthening international cooperation, in particular with European bodies, to tackle the smuggling routes that transport people, boats and motorbikes to Europe and the French coast.

Cooper said that while recent seizures of boats and equipment in Europe are encouraging, there is still much work to be done.

She reaffirmed the UK government’s commitment to rapidly enhance its enforcement capabilities in the coming months through the newly established Border Security Command.

“At the same time, we are swiftly deporting those who have no right to be in the UK, ensuring we have a fair, robust and functioning asylum system where the rules are respected and enforced,” Cooper said.

Cooper will be joined by a panel of key ministers including Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Attorney General Lord Hermer and senior representatives from the NCA, Border Force and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

UK Intelligence (UKIC) will also be present to support efforts to infiltrate and dismantle these smuggling networks.

The Home Secretary stressed the moral imperative to end the gangs that profit from human exploitation, saying the UK would not rest until those responsible were brought to justice.

The Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers of the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and they are in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.