The UK Government has announced a £100 million investment to intensify the crackdown on criminal gangs behind dangerous small boat crossings.
The funding will support the Border Security Command, the National Crime Agency (NCA), police, and other partners to dismantle smuggling networks operating in the UK and abroad.
The package will fund up to 300 additional NCA officers, advanced surveillance technology, AI-assisted intelligence tools, and expanded powers to seize and analyse digital devices, while also supporting operations in key transit regions across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and fund a new UK-France pilot returns agreement for small boat arrivals.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the new investment would “supercharge” efforts to dismantle smuggling gangs, protect lives, and restore order to the UK’s immigration system.
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The Government’s strategy includes stronger international cooperation, tougher enforcement, and new powers under the upcoming Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.
John Lucey, VP EMEA North at Cellebrite, said, “The UK Government’s £100 million investment represents a critical advancement in disrupting the evolving operations of sophisticated people-smuggling networks.
As these groups increasingly utilize digital channels to coordinate cross-border movements, it is imperative that enforcement agencies are equipped with the necessary personnel, tools, and strategies to stay ahead. Digital footprints left behind on mobile devices and encrypted apps are crucial in effectively dismantling these networks.
Enhancing frontline capabilities through both technological advancements and targeted international cooperation is essential for safeguarding lives and restoring confidence in border enforcement. Security extends beyond physical borders, encompassing the digital spaces where these crimes are orchestrated and executed.”
In 2024/25, the NCA recorded its highest-ever disruption of organised immigration crime, with 351 operations, a 40% increase on the previous year. The funding follows the NCA’s largest-ever raid in Bulgaria last week, which seized a major supply of boat engines.
This investment is part of the Government’s wider Plan for Change to secure borders, increase returns, and crack down on illegal working and organised immigration crime.
