New powers to help target smugglers and prevent illegal entry have come into force, under the Immigration Act.
James Brokenshire, Home Office Immigration Minister said: “Our investments and improvements over the past six years have left us with one of the most secure borders in the world. But we know we must go further and continue to adapt and react to the challenges we face. That’s why we will be establishing a series of operational hubs, procuring additional boats and introducing new powers to make the UK’s coastline even more secure from criminals looking to smuggle guns and drugs or facilitate illegal entry into the country.”
The Government says these measures will complement joint work to address the situation in northern France. The UK and French governments have combined to improve security, collaborate on returns and deter migrants from making the journey across the Channel. The Immigration Minister will meet with his Dutch and Belgian counterparts next month to continue discussions on their joint commitment to port security and to tackle organised crime.
From May 31, new maritime enforcement powers come into force, which will allow Border Force officers to stop, board, divert and detain vessels and arrest anyone they suspect has broken immigration law. The maritime powers, which form one part of the Immigration Act, are intended to combat three immigration offences in the territorial waters of the UK:
assisting unlawful immigration
assisting an asylum seeker to arrive in the UK
assisting entry to the UK in breach of a deportation or exclusion order
Patrol vessels will also be introduced, helping to intercept attempts to smuggle dangerous weapons, drugs and migrants into the country. The first batch will be in place in the coming months, with all of the vessels operational by the end of next year. Border Force will set up three maritime co-ordination hubs in Cornwall, the Thames Estuary and the Humber over summer, committed to tackling a range of threats on the UK coastline.
Border Force will also use £31m announced in the budget in March to crack down on illegal tobacco smuggling. This will see 150 additional Border Force officers deployed over the next four years, the Home Office adds.
