The crackdown will form part of the government's border security bill expected to be published in the coming weeks, amid new highs in the number of people arriving in the UK in 2024. The number of people crossing the Channel in small boats was up by a quarter on the previous year, figures show.
Ministers will hope the new orders in England and Wales, where breaches will lead to up to five years in prison, will make the activities of suspected traffickers far harder.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said it was unlikely tougher enforcement alone would make a difference to the figures. Further enforcement action alone without also addressing the reasons why people are willing to put their lives at risk in the first place is likely to lead to more dangerous journeys and more human tragedies.
Collection
[
|
...
]