Britain and Italy Join Forces to Target People-Smuggling Gangs with Mafia-Inspired Tactics

[Social Media]

 

The United Kingdom is joining forces with Italy to tackle the growing issue of people-smuggling gangs, employing tactics inspired by Italy’s successful efforts against the mafia. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, announced the creation of a joint taskforce during her visit to Italy, signaling a determined new approach to combating illegal migration and organized crime.  

 

The taskforce will adopt a “follow the money” strategy, aiming to disrupt the illicit financial networks that underpin people-smuggling operations. This collaboration comes after senior officials from both countries, including representatives from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and Italian police forces, convened to finalize the plan. The focus will be on identifying and freezing criminal bank accounts, conducting joint operations, and prosecuting key players in international smuggling rings.  

 

Specialist financial investigators, forensic accountants, and law enforcement officers with experience in tackling mafia operations will be at the forefront of this initiative. By leveraging Italy’s expertise in dismantling organized crime networks, Britain hopes to strengthen its crackdown on the criminal enterprises that exploit vulnerable migrants.  

 

Cooper emphasized that this effort is part of a broader strategy to enhance immigration enforcement. She announced an £8 million investment to equip immigration officers with biometric kits and body-worn cameras to gather evidence more effectively. This technological upgrade aims to support prosecutions and address the increasing number of illegal migrants and offenders being returned to their home countries.  

 

In a bid to counter claims from France that Britain is viewed as an “El Dorado” for Channel migrants due to black-market work opportunities, the UK is taking decisive action against illegal employment. The government has allocated £5 million to provide 1,200 immigration officers with body-worn cameras, ensuring courts have access to indisputable evidence of illegal working practices. An additional £3 million will fund fingerprint kits for on-the-spot identification of migrants and high-risk individuals.  

 

Cooper also revealed that nearly 13,500 illegal migrants and foreign offenders have been returned since Labour took office, putting the government on track for the highest removal figures in five years. This marks a significant escalation in efforts to address illegal immigration and organized crime.  

 

As part of the joint taskforce, Britain and Italy will share intelligence through the UK’s new Border Security Command. This includes a top-secret illicit finance threat assessment detailing how organized immigration crime groups collect, process, and use their funds. The partnership will also collaborate with Empact, a European Union security initiative, to map and disrupt illegal money transfers facilitated by informal systems like hawala.  

 

By aligning their resources and expertise, the UK and Italy aim to strike at the financial heart of people-smuggling operations. With a combination of advanced technology, international intelligence-sharing, and targeted prosecutions, this joint effort seeks to dismantle the networks enabling one of Europe’s most pressing migration challenges.

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph 2024-12-17

 

 

 

[jippytum]

Until we get the backing of the two faced French authorities illegal immigration will continue. 

[Chomper Higgot]

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

The taskforce will adopt a “follow the money” strategy, aiming to disrupt the illicit financial networks that underpin people-smuggling operations.

Excellent news.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

Cooper also revealed that nearly 13,500 illegal migrants and foreign offenders have been returned since Labour took office, putting the government on track for the highest removal figures in five years. This marks a significant escalation in efforts to address illegal immigration and organized crime.  

Double excellent news.

 

And all done without demonizing migrants, any hint of performative cruelty or putting hundreds of £millions into the pockets of ‘chums’.

[Bkk Brian]

Good to see Starmer has been putting to good use the advice he received from Giorgia Meloni. Italys right wing Prime Minister.

[James105]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Double excellent news.

 

And all done without demonizing migrants, any hint of performative cruelty or putting hundreds of £millions into the pockets of ‘chums’.

 

Excellent news for people that cannot work out that having 35,000 illegal immigrants arrive since they took power and only managing to deport a third of that number leaves about 21,500 illegal immigrants consuming UK taxpayer resources.   

 

Excellent news would be removal of incentives to cross the channel such as taking away the freebies and turning around the boats as this would solve this problem overnight.   They will fail at stopping illegal immigrants, not just because they are morons (which of course they are), but they are following the same model as the "war on drugs" which will always result in failure as for every smuggler captured there are 1000s lining up to take their place as it is a lucrative practice.   The only way this business model dries up is if there are no customers willing to use their services, which can only be achieved when the UK is no longer an attractive place for illegal immigrants to come to by removing the incentives to get there.   

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, James105 said:

 

Excellent news for people that cannot work out that having 35,000 illegal immigrants arrive since they took power and only managing to deport a third of that number leaves about 21,500 illegal immigrants consuming UK taxpayer resources.   

 

Excellent news would be removal of incentives to cross the channel such as taking away the freebies and turning around the boats as this would solve this problem overnight.   They will fail at stopping illegal immigrants, not just because they are morons (which of course they are), but they are following the same model as the "war on drugs" which will always result in failure as for every smuggler captured there are 1000s lining up to take their place as it is a lucrative practice.   The only way this business model dries up is if there are no customers willing to use their services, which can only be achieved when the UK is no longer an attractive place for illegal immigrants to come to by removing the incentives to get there.   

You obviously missed the “putting the government on track for the highest removal figures in five years”

 

Labour getting on with fixing the mess they inherited from 14 years of Tory failure.

 

[JonnyF]

Dog and Pony show.

 

Yvette Cooper will do nothing. The smug, self satisfied grin tells us everything. 

 

[crazykopite]

Yet another pipe dream by this useless UK government that betray.

[James105]

6 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You obviously missed the “putting the government on track for the highest removal figures in five years”

 

Labour getting on with fixing the mess they inherited from 14 years of Tory failure.

 

 

It's meaningless if they have the highest arrival figures for illegal immigrants though.  If there were zero illegal immigrants arriving and they deported 13,500 I would say that was an okay starting point but still an extremely long way from deporting the 1.5 million or so that need removing who are illegally staying in the UK.   

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, James105 said:

 

It's meaningless if they have the highest arrival figures for illegal immigrants though.  If there were zero illegal immigrants arriving and they deported 13,500 I would say that was an okay starting point but still an extremely long way from deporting the 1.5 million or so that need removing who are illegally staying in the UK.   

It took the Tories 14 years to raise ‘illegal immigration’ to the level it’s at.

 

Labour will not fix that overnight, but they are very obviously making steps in the right direction.

 

13,500 deportations and coordinating with Italy to go after the smuggling gangs by using the tried and tested ‘follow the money’.

 

Why did it take a change of Government to get any of this done?

[Purdey]

First one who says, "I want to make you an offer," wins.

Will the horses of smugglers now fear for their heads? 

 

[Scott Tracy]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It took the Tories 14 years to raise ‘illegal immigration’ to the level it’s at.

 

Labour will not fix that overnight, but they are very obviously making steps in the right direction.

 

13,500 deportations and coordinating with Italy to go after the smuggling gangs by using the tried and tested ‘follow the money’.

 

Why did it take a change of Government to get any of this done?

Seekers of asylum, ECHR... Identification issues, age issues, the French 'authorities '.. You name it. This government has not yet stated where these deportees have been deported to. 

[mokwit]

10 hours ago, Social Media said:

Cooper also revealed that nearly 13,500 illegal migrants and foreign offenders have been returned since Labour took office, putting the government on track for the highest removal figures in five years. This marks a significant escalation in efforts to address illegal immigration and organized crime.  

This is a 16% increase YoY i.e. from under "Tory rule", so not that big a thing to crow about, especially as they were paid GBP 3,000 to leave (if they did). Basically if they overstay they get given GBP 3,000 and flight paid to go home (note Thai system is different). The unwilling, I am sure are dragging it through the courts indefinitely.

 

'The returns were classed as voluntary and were likely to include people who had overstayed their visas. The Home Office offers incentives for voluntary returnees of up to £3,000 including for babies and children. The sweeteners are provided in the form of pre-loaded cards that can be activated once people touch down in their home country.

The government is keen to trumpet its deportation credentials with figures published on Thursday revealing 8,308 enforced and voluntary returns between July and September 2024, a 16% increase on the same period last year. The majority – 6,247 – were voluntary returns, an increase of 12% on this category of returns during the same period in 2023. While the government is keen to promote the numbers returned they have failed to mention publicly that the destination of these historic deportation flights was Brazil.'

 

Interesting that even The Guardian are querying this.

 

Source, none other than the link brigades favourite. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/01/brazilians-deported-home-office-secret-flights-uk

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-september-2024/summary-of-latest-statistics

 

 

 

 

 

[mokwit]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

 

Why did it take a change of Government to get any of this done?

It didn't, it is a continuation. Granted, numbers are up 16% (June-Sept YoY), but clearly something was being done. The Tories made an agreement with France (at vast expense) but you could be forgiven for thinking France wasn't holding up its end of the bargain.

[Chomper Higgot]

13 minutes ago, mokwit said:

It didn't, it is a continuation. Numbers are up 16% under partial Labour term (Sept YoY). So it seems something was being done. The Tories made an agreement with France (at vast expense) but you could be forgiven for thinking France wasn't holding up its end of the bargain.

So the Tories deported 4 volunteers at the cost of hundreds of £millions and Labour have deported 13500 since coming to office while cancelling the Tory’s money funnel to chums scam.

 

Without that Tory policy deportations have increased massively.

 

[mokwit]

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

So the Tories deported 4 volunteers at the cost of hundreds of £millions and Labour have deported 13500 since coming to office while cancelling the Tory’s money funnel to chums scam.

 

Without that Tory policy deportations have increased massively.

 

If the number for July to September is 8,308 and is up 16% on the same period YoY then that would suggest that the number in the previous year was rather more than four...................

 

Where are you getting four from?

[mokwit]

37 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

So the Tories deported 4 volunteers at the cost of hundreds of £millions and Labour have deported 13500 since coming to office while cancelling the Tory’s money funnel to chums scam.

 

Without that Tory policy deportations have increased massively.

 

we are not really talking deportations, we are talking people accepting paid for flight and GBP3,000 to go home. So if you lose your job or run out of money then just take the generous offer.

 

I'm not being churlish with this, because if Labour really have materially increaased deportations they deserve the credit, but I can't help but think 8,308 in 5 months represented an existing, ongoing pipeline - a 16% increase could just be normal variation in numbers YoY - it's not a doubling, is it? Once again credit where due if really due, but If they are claiming results that are not really theirs..............

 

2,061 were not voluntary and this suggests an existing ongoing pipelline i.e. process started under previous Government. Good luck getting an involuntary deportation through the courts in 5 months. From memory, there are at least 3 appeals possible. absolute gravy train for Immigration lawyers.

[The Cyclist]

5 minutes ago, mokwit said:

we are not really talking deportations, we are talking people accepting paid for flight and GBP3,000 to go home.

 

That nails it.

 

Visa overstayers, who should have already been rounded up and removed. Not the hordes flocking over the Channel.

 

Voluntary repatriations with a £3000 bribe to sweeten the deal.

[mokwit]

4 minutes ago, The Cyclist said:

 

That nails it.

 

Visa overstayers, who should have already been rounded up and removed. Not the hordes flocking over the Channel.

 

Voluntary repatriations with a £3000 bribe to sweeten the deal.

Makes Britain even more attractive - you just have to find the money to get here, returning home tab is picked up by the tax payer.

 

Wonder what the numbers would be if we implemented the Thai system, stay in IDC until flight paid for and pay bt200/for each day there before you are released to your flight.

[The Cyclist]

3 minutes ago, mokwit said:

Makes Britain even more attractive - you just have to find the money to get here, returning home tab is picked up by the tax payer.

 

Wonder what the numbers would be if we implemented the Thai system, stay in IDC until flight paid for and pay bt200/for each day there before you are released to your flight.

 

Trying to preach to the converted.

 

I detest what the UK has become. Starting at the top with a sad, sorry excuse of a House of Lords. House of Commons which is bereft of honesty, decency and missing about 1400 spines.

 

Creatures, the lot of them.

[mokwit]

5 minutes ago, The Cyclist said:

 

Trying to preach to the converted.

 

I detest what the UK has become. Starting at the top with a sad, sorry excuse of a House of Lords. House of Commons which is bereft of honesty, decency and missing about 1400 spines.

 

Creatures, the lot of them.

Major's was the start of the Globalist governments, not Blair, Blair just didn't have to keep up a pretence.

[The Cyclist]

21 minutes ago, mokwit said:

Major's was the start of the Globalist governments, not Blair, Blair just didn't have to keep up a pretence.

 

I can agree with that.

 

Thatchers Brugge speech of 1988 ensured her Political demise, and the introduction of an EU Centrist Government in the UK.

[mokwit]

Just now, The Cyclist said:

 

I can agree with that.

 

Thatchers Brugge speech of 1988 ensured her Political demise, and the introduction of an EU Centrist Government in the UK.

yep, she had to be ousted.

 

Democracy is broken - somehow it is not attracting the right kind of people into Government in Western countries (others too I am sure).

[Kinnock]

The only way to stop this trade is to stop giving free money and accommodation to illegal immigrants.

[mokwit]

5 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

The only way to stop this trade is to stop giving free money and accommodation to illegal immigrants.

It requires arrest and deportation on the beaches. Not sure as to the legal situation of giving them some sandwiches and a fizzy drink and towing the boats back into international waters (we have a navy/coastguards ostensibly to prevent invasion) as presumably it is not illegal to enter UK waters, just to land without a passport/evading immigration controls?

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

If the number for July to September is 8,308 and is up 16% on the same period YoY then that would suggest that the number in the previous year was rather more than four...................

 

Where are you getting four from?

It’s widely reported, here’s an example:

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/world/europe/uk-rwanda-deportation-plan.html

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, mokwit said:

It requires arrest and deportation on the beaches. Not sure as to the legal situation of giving them some sandwiches and a fizzy drink and towing the boats back into international waters (we have a navy/coastguards ostensibly to prevent invasion) as presumably it is not illegal to enter UK waters, just to land without a passport/evading immigration controls?

There’s something in international law about towing sea going vessels, and I’m quite certain there’s something else there about abandoning people at sea.

 

 

[mokwit]

22 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s widely reported, here’s an example:

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/world/europe/uk-rwanda-deportation-plan.html

I think we are talking about two different schemes, as per my post above, I am talking about Brazilians who mostly overstayed their visas and who were paid to return. For a figure to be up 16% YoY there must have been a material number (thousands) in the year prior (see the numbers in earlier post). This had to have been going on under the Tories, it is just up 16% YoY for the same period under Labour, and that could be normal variation.

 

Trying to conflate the paid return Brazil scheme with Rwanda scheme is dishonest.

[mokwit]

9 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There’s something in international law about towing sea going vessels, and I’m quite certain there’s something else there about abandoning people at sea.

 

 

I think the law refers to not coming to the assistance of a vessel in distress, hence the tactic of puncturing/capsizing boats in the Med.

 

Towing people back to the port they came from might be acceptable under maritime/immigration law - isn't it done by some country(s) in the Med?

 

Australia was successful in stopping the boats by making it law that if you turned up in a boat on Aus shores you could NEVER obtain citizenship - ran ads in Pakistan for example informing people of this.