Thousands of people smuggling adverts taken off social media in major crackdown

The UK’s National Crime Agency has dealt a major blow to organised people smuggling gangs, after targeting and taking down thousands of online posts advertising their illegal services.

By the end of June, almost 12,000 posts had been identified and removed, disrupting the criminal networks who use slick social media posts to encourage migrants to pay for illegal journeys to the UK.

The NCA launched its social media action plan with the social tech giants Meta, X , TikTok and YouTube in December 2021.

The Agency wanted to build a better understanding of how organised criminals used those platforms and limit their ability to exploit victims and plan dangerous illegal crossings.

By April last year, this had resulted in around 3,300 posts, pages or accounts being removed or suspended.

However, the National Crime Agency stepped up the level of cooperation with social media platforms over the past year to increase intelligence flows and better target the gangs.

The agency has now revealed that major drive has resulted in almost 9,000 more people smuggling posts being removed.

In April, the NCA arrested three UK-based individuals suspected of using social media to promote illegal immigration.

The Vietnamese nationals were suspected of advertising crossings on social media. They were later charged and are due in court again on August 2.

In May an Iraqi national was arrested by the NCA, also suspected of promoting crossings using social media. He was charged and is due in court on September 9.

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The NCA’s Organised Immigration Crime Threat Lead, Dan Barcroft, said: “Social media is key to how these organised crime groups operate, so these takedowns have a direct effect on disrupting their operations and criminal activity.

“We have seen instances of them having to change their tactics as a result, and the last few months have seen us take direct action against individuals suspected of posting this type of material.

“Tackling people smuggling is a priority for the NCA, and we are looking to disrupt the criminal’s business models in any way we can. This work is one example of that in action.

“The NCA has developed a strong partnership with the four social media companies, and we will continue to work with them to prevent organised crime groups utilising their platforms.”

The new Border Security and Asylum Minister, Dame Angela Eagle MP said: “This work is immensely important, and we will do everything in our power to crack down on the criminals who brazenly promote their people-smuggling businesses online and use social media to profit from human misery.

“Protecting our borders has never been more crucial. Together, we will take the action needed to address irregular migration at its source, dismantle the gangs and stop them from putting vulnerable people’s lives at risk.”

Shortly after taking power, the Labour government announced the creation of a Border Security Command to target the people smuggling gangs.

The new Command is being given millions of pounds in extra funding, along with hundreds of additional personnel.

The Conservatives say the Command will be little different from the previous Small Boats Operational Command, which also sought to dismantle the criminal gangs.

In the less than three weeks since Labour came to power, more than 2,000 small boat migrants have crossed the English Channel illegally.

The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that the Summer months ahead are likely to see many more attempt the dangerous journey from France.