Lammy to urge European nations to adopt sanctions against people smuggling gangs
The Foreign Secretary added that ‘we must also target the root causes of migration’.
David Lammy will urge European countries to develop sanctions against people smuggling gangs as he meets counterparts at the Munich Security Conference this weekend.
The Foreign Secretary has said that only working together to tackle smugglers will “take the wind out of their sails”.
The UK is due to host a migration round-table meeting alongside Italy at the conference on Saturday, which will see figures from Poland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Germany and other nations discuss smuggling and immigration crime.
In January, the UK Government announced plans for sanctions that will target the finances of people smuggling networks as part of efforts to stop people crossing the Channel in small boats.
The planned measures are intended to disrupt the flow of money and make it harder for ringleaders to profit from the deadly trade.
Mr Lammy said on Friday: “Criminal gangs enabling irregular migration are a national security threat across Europe. We must deliver on our mandate to smash the gangs, secure this country’s borders and deliver the plan for change.
“Only by working together with our neighbours will we take the wind out of their sails and degrade the appalling trade in people.
“We must also target the root causes of migration, which is why we are boosting opportunities across eastern Africa – making people less likely to travel to the UK in the first place.”
Ministers have also announced £8 million in funding to boost education and employment programmes in east Africa, aimed at deterring would-be migrants from considering making a journey to the UK.
It comes as the Government’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill – which contains a raft of new offences designed to crack down on people smugglers – cleared a Commons hurdle earlier this week.
Among the plans, people selling and handling boat parts suspected of being used in Channel crossings could face up to 14 years in prison, while anyone at sea during the dangerous journeys who endangers another life could face a five-year jail term.
Meanwhile, police and enforcement agencies would be handed powers including to seize and search electronic devices, before an arrest, if they suspect they contain information about organised immigration crime.
On Monday, MPs voted 333 to 109, majority 224, to approve the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill at second reading.
