Smuggling Gangs Are So Powerful Only Bad Weather Can Stop Them
Yvette Cooper has warned that smuggling gangs are so dominant the only thing slowing down their dangerous trade is wind and rain. Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, she said, “The really unacceptable situation we are in is because of the way the criminal gangs have taken hold, our border security ends up being dependent on the weather.” “We cannot continue like this, where the number of calm days affects the number of crossings.”
Ms Cooper stressed that “only a coordinated international response” across the entire migration route could effectively put an end to the influence of people smugglers. She admitted the current situation is unacceptable and must change, reported the Sun.
This year is already shaping up to be the worst on record for illegal Channel crossings, with 6,642 arrivals so far. Meanwhile, migrants in Calais have told The Sun they remain determined to reach the UK.
The total number of arrivals since Labour took office is expected to surpass 30,000 this week. This comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer prepares to host an international summit aimed at cracking down on smuggling networks.
In a speech in London today, he will warn that the smuggling trade “pits nations against one another” and “profits from our inability at the political level to come together.”
He is expected to say, “When I was the Director of Public Prosecutions, we worked across borders throughout Europe and beyond to foil numerous plots, saving thousands of lives in the process.”
“We prevented planes from being blown up over the Atlantic and brought the perpetrators to justice. I believe we should treat organised immigration crime in the same way.” “I simply do not believe organized immigration crime cannot be tackled.”
Earlier this year, the National Crime Agency collaborated with law enforcement in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for the first time. This operation led to the arrest of three high-profile members of a smuggling network affecting the UK.
Minister for Security Dan Jarvis said, “Criminal lords in Iraq who had previously thought themselves untouchable are now being sent a clear message that their abhorrent business model will fail.”
The government has also launched adverts on Zalo, a Vietnamese messaging platform with over 77 million users, to discourage migrants from making the journey to the UK. However, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp condemned Labour’s approach, saying they should “hang their heads in shame.”
He added, “After cancelling the Rwanda removals deterrent before it started, all Starmer has left to protect our borders is to pray for rough weather in the Channel. This is a pathetic approach.”
The previous Conservative government’s Rwanda plan aimed to process illegal migrants in Africa. Since the election, 29,884 people have crossed the Channel despite Labour’s pledge to crack down on smugglers profiting from the crisis.
Concerns are also growing as it was revealed that a fifth of small boat migrants who applied for asylum last year failed to follow basic rules. This has raised fears that thousands are disappearing into the UK.
Records show 2,268 illegal arrivals had their claims dropped for reasons such as failing to stay at designated accommodation or not completing required paperwork.
Across all asylum claims, 14,108 people failed to comply with the system. Some overstayed their visas, while others are believed to have deliberately vanished to work illegally or avoid deportation.
At the Loon Plage camp in Calais yesterday, migrants told The Sun they would risk the dangerous journey no matter the conditions. Afghan Ali Hussein, 29, said, “I will take the risk even in bad weather. It is worth it to get to the UK.” Badar, from Syria, added, “I would still try in rain or wind. I have tried twice in one week.”
Don’t Miss These:
- Angela Rayner Blasted for ‘Bizarre’ Bin Strike Blame Game as Rubbish Piles Up in Birmingham
- Mum’s Warning After 22-Month-Old Son Killed by Falling Mirror in Devastating Home Accident
- BBC Star Charlie Dimmock Stuns Fans With Blunt Six-Word Love Life Confession After Heartbreak
- France Admits Failure on Migrant Crossings and May Send Them Back to UK
- Deadly Houseflies Invading UK Homes Carry 65 Diseases Experts Urgently Warn