By Abidemi Samuel
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The United Kingdom is taking a significant step in its fight against people smuggling and organised crime with the introduction of new laws. These laws aim to dismantle organised immigration crime networks by targeting people smugglers through travel bans, social media blackouts, and phone usage restrictions.
The new system includes an upgrade to the Serious Crime Prevention Orders (SCPOs), which are being expanded to include Interim Orders. These Interim Orders will allow immediate action to disrupt suspected people smugglers and other serious criminals, even before a conviction is made. This swift response is intended to address organised crime more efficiently and stop further harm.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised the importance of the new laws, stating that “dangerous criminal people-smugglers are profiting from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. They cannot be allowed to get away with it” ¹. Cooper also noted that this legislation forms part of the government’s broader plan for change, which includes improving border security, increasing safety, and ensuring stronger law enforcement to address crime.
The restrictions imposed under these new laws will vary depending on the case, but they could include:
Travel Restrictions: Suspects may face travel bans to prevent them from fleeing the country or continuing their illegal activities.
Social Media Blackouts: Suspects may face restrictions on their social media usage to prevent them from communicating with other criminals or promoting their illegal activities.
Phone Usage Restrictions: Suspects may face limits on their phone usage to prevent them from communicating with other criminals or coordinating their illegal activities.
Association Restrictions: Suspects may face restrictions on who they can communicate with or have contact with to prevent them from continuing their illegal activities.
Financial Restrictions: Suspects may face financial restrictions to prevent them from profiting from their illegal activities.
The government has made it clear that breaching these Interim Orders could result in a prison sentence of up to five years, serving as a deterrent for those engaged in serious organised crime.
In addition to these new measures, the government has made significant progress in addressing illegal immigration. Since the last election, nearly 13,500 individuals with no legal right to be in the UK have been returned to their home countries.
The UK government’s focus on combating people smuggling is also reflected in the establishment of the Border Security Command, a new initiative that unites key operational leaders to target and disrupt criminal gangs. With a budget of £150 million, the initiative will work to break the business models of smuggling operations and bring offenders to justice.
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