UK Targets 20+ People-Smuggling Gangs With Sanctions

The UK government is set to announce the first round of a pioneering sanctions regime targeting over 20 individuals and entities involved in people-smuggling, including gang leaders, corrupt officials, and companies supplying equipment for Channel crossings. The measures will freeze assets, impose travel bans, and restrict access to the UK financial system for those facilitating illegal migration, including those supplying fake documents and enabling payments through systems like Hawala. UK businesses and banks will be prohibited from dealing with sanctioned targets and could face significant fines for violations. The sanctions, introduced by Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, aim to disrupt the multi-billion-pound smuggling industry, which has seen Channel crossings surge by nearly 50% this year. These actions complement new powers proposed in pending immigration legislation. Critics caution that sanctions alone may not be sufficient to fully deter organized smuggling networks.