UK ministers have voiced their delight after Germany passed landmark new laws handing 10 year jail terms to small boat smugglers.

The new legislation will see criminals who store small boats and engines face lengthy sentences for the first time. The breakthrough closes a post-Brexit loophole which left German authorities unable to act against people traffickers transporting migrants to Britain.

The new law will come into force at the end of the year. Germany's legislation also strengthens information sharing between the two nations.

 

 

Under German law, facilitating people smuggling to the UK is not illegal as it is classed as a third country because it is outside the EU. Smuggling gangs are known to store engines in Germany before they are moved to northern France for dangerous Channel crossings.

 

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Criminal smuggler gangs operate across borders, so governments and law enforcement need to cooperate across borders to bring them down.

“This major change in German law is the result of our close partnership working to tackle illegal migration and organised immigration crime. We will continue to ramp up our international cooperation to strengthen our own border security. These are the partnerships we build abroad to make us stronger at home.”

 

Huge breakthrough in small boats battle as Germany scraps post-Brexit loophole

But without enforcement it's of no value.

 

No country is interested in stopping illegal immigrants from leaving.

This is like trying to put the horse back in the barn.....a decade after the door was opened. 

Smoke and mirrors as usual with anything coming out of the EU concerning illegal immigration.

Wait and see if this will reduce the actual numbers of illegals entering the UK.

i seriously doubt it.