UK PM Starmer: Treating People-Smuggling as Terrorism

Sir Keir Starmer’s Stance on People-Smuggling Gangs

​UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a new initiative to combat people-smuggling gangs by treating them with the same urgency and coordination as terrorist organizations. Speaking ahead of a summit in London attended by representatives from over 40 countries, Starmer emphasized the need for international collaboration to dismantle these criminal networks facilitating illegal migration.

This approach involves leveraging strategies similar to those used in counter-terrorism efforts, including enhanced intelligence sharing and coordinated law enforcement actions across borders. The summit also includes discussions with major technology companies like Meta, X, and TikTok to address the online promotion of illegal migration and disrupt the digital platforms used by smugglers.

In conjunction with these efforts, the UK government has established the Border Security Command, a new agency responsible for coordinating activities among Immigration Enforcement, MI5, Border Force, and the National Crime Agency. This command aims to tackle smuggling gangs facilitating illegal migrant crossings over the English Channel.