LONDON – Preet Kaur Gill MP has hailed a “
breakthrough” in Britain’s efforts to restore order at its borders, following the implementation of a new UK-France treaty aimed at dismantling the business model of criminal smuggling gangs.
The treaty, which came into force this week, introduces an innovative “one-in, one-out” pilot scheme. Under the agreement, anyone arriving illegally in the UK via small boats can be detained immediately and returned to France. In exchange, France will allow an equal number of individuals to access a new legal migration route—on the condition that they have not attempted illegal crossings and pass rigorous security checks. Detentions under the scheme have already begun.
Alongside the treaty, the UK government is intensifying its crackdown on the gangs’ online operations. New amendments to the Border Security Bill will make it a criminal offence to promote illegal crossings on social media—a tactic used by an estimated 80% of small boat arrivals to connect with smugglers. These gangs, Ms Gill noted, often charge up to £12,000 for dangerous and deceptive “package deals.” The new offence carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment. The National Crime Agency has already removed over 22,000 posts linked to organised immigration crime.
Ms Gill emphasised that this comprehensive strategy—combining immediate returns, criminal prosecutions for digital promotion, and secure legal migration routes—marks a decisive shift in border enforcement. “We have already returned 35,000 people with no right to remain in the UK this year, a 28% increase, while raids against illegal working have risen by 50%. After months of serious diplomacy, we are delivering results no previous government has achieved,” she said.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader commitment to disrupt the networks that profit from human misery, while ensuring that genuine asylum seekers can find safe and legal pathways to the UK.