The UK on Thursday announced the “world’s first” new sanctions regime to combat people smuggling crime rings and block the illicit finance fuelling such operations as part of measures to crack down on illegal migration.

The government said the new standalone sanctions are dedicated to targeting irregular migration and organised immigration crime, which will allow the authorities to target individuals and entities enabling dangerous journeys.

The new sanctions regime is expected to come into force within the year as experts from across government work with law enforcement and operational Home Office colleagues to stem finance flows at their source and deter smugglers facilitating irregular migratory movements, including dangerous sea crossings across Europe.

“We must dismantle the crime gangs facilitating breaches of our borders. By crippling illicit finance rings allowing smugglers to traffic vulnerable people across Europe, we will deliver on our Plan for Change and secure UK borders,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“That means being bold and innovative in our policy making to ensure we are leaving no stone unturned. My government will do everything in our power to save lives and protect our borders for years to come,” he said.

The Labour government’s Plan for Change is designed to reduce dangerous small boat crossings across the English Channel and end the routine use of asylum hotels as part of measures to bring down soaring net migration.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy laid out the details in a speech as he noted that it was “completely unrealistic” to combat irregular migration without a role for his department – the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

“It is an issue which ties together the foreign and the domestic most acutely. I’m proud to announce that the UK is set to be the first country in the world to develop legislation for a new sanctions regime specifically targeting irregular migration and organised immigration crime.

“This will help to prevent, combat, deter and disrupt irregular migration and the smuggling of migrants into the UK,” said Lammy.

The FCDO said it also expects to collaborate closely with international allies to combat people smugglers, including hosting the Calais Group which brings together ministers from France, Belgium and the Netherlands alongside European Union (EU) agencies.

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper added: “Since coming into power, we have taken swift and robust action to smash the gangs, working with international partners to track down and disrupt dangerous criminal networks.

“With these new sanctions, we will target those profiting off putting lives at risk and disrupt the gangs' finances, making it harder for them to operate.”

The latest announcement comes after Cooper last week announced a major upgrade to Serious Crime Prevention Orders, with new interim orders allowing suspected people smugglers to face immediate travel bans, social media blackouts and restrictions on phone usage.

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