The UK government is set to launch the Border Security Command (BSC) in a new move to strengthen border security and dismantle the criminal smuggling gangs profiting from small boat crossings.
A statement from Home Office said rapid recruitment for a Border Security Commander, a role tailored for individuals with senior experience in policing, intelligence, or the military, will commence today Monday, July 8.
The new commander who is expected to report directly to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, according to the statement will spearhead a strategic initiative to unify efforts across the National Crime Agency (NCA), intelligence agencies, police, Immigration Enforcement, and Border Force, with sole aim to better protect the UK’s borders and aggressively target smuggling operations.
Following the Home Secretary’s instructions, a dedicated team in the Home Office is already working to define the new command’s remit, governance, and strategic direction, while legislative preparations are underway to introduce counter-terror-style powers and enhanced measures against organized immigration crime.
Cooper has also commissioned an in-depth investigation by the Home Office and the NCA into the latest smuggling routes and tactics, laying the groundwork for a significant law enforcement campaign.
The Home Office added that the BSC will draw on extensive additional resources, including a surge of new investigators, experts, and analysts focused on organized immigration crime, adding that many of these professionals will be stationed across Europe, collaborating with Europol and European police forces to disrupt smuggling networks and prosecute those responsible.
In a call with NCA Director General Graeme Biggar, Cooper emphasized the urgency of dismantling the smuggling gangs’ operations, targeting their communication, movement, and profits. She will further engage with European interior ministers and Europol leaders this week to bolster security cooperation, the Home Office said.
Home Secretary Cooper stated, “Criminal smuggling gangs are making millions out of small boat crossings, undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. We can’t carry on like this. We need to tackle the root of the problem, going after these dangerous criminals and bringing them to justice. The Border Security Command will be a major step change in UK enforcement efforts to tackle organized immigration crime, drawing on substantial resources to work across Europe and beyond to disrupt trafficking networks and to coordinate with prosecutors in Europe to deliver justice.”
