New laws to make endangering lives at sea a crime in bid to stop small boat crossings
New laws to make endangering lives at sea a crime in bid to stop small boat crossings
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Investigators will have the power to seize the mobile phones of suspected people traffickers and it will become an offence to endanger lives at sea under new laws designed to crack down on small boat crossings. People selling and handling parts of vessels being used to smuggle migrants across the Channel could face up to 14 years in prison under the measures announced by the Home Office on Thursday.
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will give investigators powers to copy data found on the mobile devices of suspects involved in immigration crime and use it to prosecute individuals who facilitate illegal crossings. Home Office sources said Border Force officials have faced "floating crime scenes" in recent months with “reckless” activity resulting crushes and drownings.
Officers have been threatened, the sources added, but boat passengers suspected of crimes allowed to enter the British asylum system with few penalties. The raft of new offences and counter-terror powers will aim to “smash the gangs” that facilitate the perilous crossings from France to the UK, the Government said, after almost 37,000 people made the journey last year.
The Government is expected to seek to bring the measures into force as soon as possible once the legislation is approved by MPs and Lords. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously vowed to treat people smugglers as "terrorists" in a bid to curb crossings.
