The United Kingdom announced on Wednesday its first use of sanctions to target more than two dozen individuals, groups, and suppliers accused of aiding migrant crossings across the English Channel. The measures include asset freezes and travel bans aimed at those “driving irregular migration to the UK,” according to the Foreign Office.
The sanctions target a diverse array of entities, including a small boat supplier based in China, “hawala” money transfer networks in the Middle East, and gang leaders operating across the Balkans and North Africa.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the move as “a landmark moment” in the government’s efforts to combat organized immigration crime. “From Europe to Asia, we are taking the fight to the people-smugglers who enable irregular migration,” he said. “My message to these gangs is clear: we know who you are, and we will work with international partners to hold you accountable.”
In total, 20 individuals, four criminal gangs, and one company have been sanctioned.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who took office a year ago, pledged to “smash the gangs” facilitating the crossings but has faced challenges in fulfilling this promise. The issue has become politically sensitive, fueling far-right rhetoric and protests, including recent demonstrations outside hotels thought to house asylum seekers, some of which turned violent.
Among those sanctioned was Bledar Lala, identified as an Albanian overseeing “the Belgium operations” of a criminal group involved in migrant crossings.
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