UK injects 100 million pounds to boost border security

London, Aug 4 (PTI) The UK on Monday announced that it will invest 100 million pounds as part of its efforts to control soaring illegal migration.

The new funding is earmarked for up to 300 extra National Crime Agency (NCA) officers, state-of-the-art detection technology and new equipment targeting criminal networks behind people smuggling, the Home Office said.

The NCA’s Border Security Command and other law enforcement agencies will benefit from a cash injection to strengthen investigations targeting smuggling kingpins and disrupt their operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and beyond, it added.

The funding package will go towards supporting a new pilot of the “one-in, one-out” UK returns agreement, which will see migrants who arrive illegally on small boats returned to France.

It will also support the new powers to be introduced when the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill becomes law, criminalising the creation and publication of online material that promotes a breach of immigration law.

“This additional funding will strengthen every aspect of our plan, and will turbo-charge the ability of our law enforcement agencies to track the gangs and bring them down, working with our partners overseas, and using state-of-the-art technology and equipment,” said UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The Labour Party minister accused the previous Conservative Party government of allowing small boat smuggling gangs to embed their criminal trade across the English Channel, putting lives at risk with dangerous migrant crossings.

“They must not be allowed to get away with this vile crime. That is why this government has developed a serious and comprehensive plan to dismantle their business model, from disrupting their supply chains across the European continent to clamping down on their illegal working operations here in the UK,” said Cooper.

The new investment package unveiled this week is aimed at enabling more intelligence to be gathered on organised immigration crime gang members and support "upstream capacity building" by intensifying efforts in transit countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia to target organised immigration crime.

New hi-tech surveillance capabilities and AI-assisted intelligence and data analysis tools as well as the implementation of extended police powers to seize and download digital devices to gather evidence and intelligence, are among the government's priorities.

“We currently have 91 investigations ongoing into the most dangerous people smuggling networks impacting the UK, and are working with partners at home and abroad to target, disrupt and dismantle them. This additional funding will help boost our capacity and capability, enabling us to target more offenders,” said Rob Jones, NCA Director General.

The agency reported that in 2024-25, it achieved 351 NCA-led disruptions of organised immigration crime networks and activity – its highest level on record – and a 40 per cent increase on the previous financial year. Last week, it announced the agency’s biggest people-smuggling raid and seizure of boat engines in Bulgaria.

The added investment is expected to build on this to arrest and prosecute major smuggling gang leaders and the seizure of more small boats and engines.

The investment comes as the latest statistics revealed more than 25,000 migrants made dangerous small boat crossings to enter the UK illegally last month, marking a new record for July.

The government also plans a clampdown on student visas to stop migrants using the study route as a way to enter the UK legally and later claim asylum. It will see UK universities face stricter rules around course completion rates to maintain their ability to sponsor visas for foreign students, who typically pay higher fees than domestic students. PTI AK RD ZH RD RD RD