UK launches new sanctions regime to tackle irregular migration
Announced by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, the new regime had to be implemented from July 23 and aims at disrupting criminal gangs facilitating irregular migration to the UK. Under the new sanctions, anyone found complicit in people smuggling, whether individuals, financiers, or companies, could face asset freezes, disconnection from the UK's financial system, and travel bans.
First round of sanctions set to begin
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) will implement the first sanctions from July 23. Targets include gang leaders, those supplying small boats used for cross-Channel crossings, counterfeit passport networks, and intermediaries using informal money transfer systems such as Hawala.These sanctions will be legally binding across the UK financial system and apply to any UK individual or business engaging with the designated persons or entities. The measures are backed by powers under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act and will be debated by Parliament after the summer recess.
Broader strategy to secure borders
The new regime forms part of the UK government's 'Plan for Change' strategy, focused on securing national borders and reducing irregular migration. The FCDO has been working closely with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Border Security Command (BSC) to identify high-value targets for sanctions.The BSC will also receive an annual funding boost of £280 million by 2028 to support investigations, surveillance, and technological upgrades to counter human smuggling networks.
Criminal networks under pressure
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in an official statement, 'For too long, criminal gangs have been lining their corrupt pockets and preying on the hopes of vulnerable people with impunity as they drive irregular migration to the UK. We will not accept this status quo.'
He added, 'From tomorrow, those involved will face having their assets frozen, being shut off from the UK financial system and banned from travelling to the UK.'
Home Office supports tougher action
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called the sanctions 'a decisive step' and said the new measures will help dismantle the financial networks behind people smuggling operations. 'Together, we are sending a clear message that there is no hiding place for those who exploit vulnerable people and put lives at risk for profit,' she said.The sanctions are part of a wider three-pronged approach by the UK government - disrupt criminal networks, deter irregular migration, and return people who have no legal right to remain in the country.According to government data, over 35,000 people have been returned since the current administration took office, marking a 13% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.
Legal mechanisms and scope
Under the sanctions regime: Asset Freezes prevent designated individuals or entities from accessing property, bank accounts, or economic resources in the UK.
Travel Bans bar entry or stay in the UK for sanctioned individuals.
Director Disqualification penalties will prohibit sanctioned persons from acting as company directors or forming UK-based businesses. These rules apply to all UK persons, both within the UK and abroad, and to UK businesses regardless of location. The UK has introduced a pioneering sanctions framework aimed at criminal gangs driving irregular migration. Backed by financial, legal, and diplomatic tools, the regime seeks to disrupt people smuggling operations by freezing assets, banning travel, and cutting financial ties with complicit individuals and networks.
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Can medicines inject the vitamins Amazon is missing?
We prefer to have idle pilots than grounded planes: Akasa CFO on losses, funding hiccups, Boeing
How private ARCs are losing out to a govt-backed firm dealing in bad loans
From near bankruptcy to blockbuster drug: How Khorakiwala turned around Wockhardt
Stock Radar: Breakout from Symmetrical Triangle pattern could help Pennar Industries to hit fresh record highs; time to buy?
F&O Radar| Deploy Broken Wing in BSE shares to gain from bullish setup
These large-caps have 'strong buy' & 'buy' recos and an upside potential of more than 20%
Buy, Sell or Hold: Antique maintains buy rating on UltraTech; Bajaj Finance remains top pick of Jefferies from BFSI space
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
UK couple held in Iran moved to 'worst' prisons
A British couple detained in Iran for seven months on espionage charges have been moved to separate prisons in and near Tehran, heightening fears for their welfare, their son told AFP on Monday. A undated handout picture released by the family of Craig and Lindsay Foreman through Britain's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London on February 15, 2025, shows Craig and Lindsay Foreman posing for a selfie photograph at an unknown location.(AFP) Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52 and who previously split their time between southeast England and Spain, were seized in Kerman, in central Iran, in early January while on a round-the-world motorbike trip. Their family has known little about their whereabouts since then, but say they learned Sunday via the UK Foreign Office that Lindsay has been transferred to Qarchak women's prison near the capital. It has a dubious reputation, with human rights groups repeatedly criticising dire conditions reported there. "It's one of the worst prisons in the world," Lindsay's son Joe Bennett said in an interview Monday near his home in Folkestone, southeast England. Meanwhile, his stepdad Craig has been moved to Tehran's infamous central prison, also known as Fashafouyeh, which is about 30 kilometres (18 miles) south of the capital and has similar notoriety. Bennett, who has yet to talk to his parents since they were detained more than 200 days ago, called the developments "unbelievably tough". "Because of where they are, I'm worrying more than I was ever," he added, urging Iranian authorities to allow British officials fresh access to the couple and to let his parents call home. "You're just thinking, 'is she OK'," he said of the seven-month ordeal, adding "it's like you feel sick all the time". Fears "I do have confidence in their resilience, they are mentally strong," Bennett told AFP. But the 31-year-old sales manager, who used to speak to his mum nearly daily, fears overcrowding at their new prisons and that they may be abused, as well as a fallout from their enforced separation. "I believe they will be, together, as strong as possible, but now they've been separated... that lifeline has been taken." The couple, who were on a "once-in-a-lifetime" trip, entered Iran from Armenia and had only intended to stay four days before crossing into Pakistan. The UK government advises against all travel to Iran, after a string of British and UK-Iranian dual nationals have been detained over the last decade. Western governments have accused Tehran of using them as bargaining chips amid perpetually fraught relations between Iran and the West. Bennett noted the family -- which includes three other siblings -- were confident they "knew what they were doing" given they are "experienced travelers". He said the couple took "every means possible" to travel safely and compliantly through the country, including getting tourist visas, hiring tour guides, keeping to main roads and staying in hotels. Relatives first realised something was wrong when the couple stopped communicating but their messages on WhatsApp and other platforms showed as having been read. Iran then said in February that the Foremans were accused of entering Iran "posing as tourists" to gather information. It claimed to have established links between the couple and foreign intelligence services and that they were being held on "espionage charges". 'Crazy' Bennett dismissed the claim that his parents are spies as "crazy". "They're not spies or political players. They are just two people who are traveling around the world." He also renewed his criticism Monday of the UK government, saying it felt like ministers and officials were just going "through the motions" in their response. A Foreign Office spokeswoman said it was "deeply concerned" at Iran's espionage allegations and that it continues to raise the case "directly with the Iranian authorities". "We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members," she added. But Bennett claimed the family's letters to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy had gone unanswered, while meetings with junior ministers left them feeling underwhelmed. "If you're not taking accountability for two UK citizens abroad, and you're not acknowledging us as a family, we don't feel like we're getting supported in the right way," he said. Bennett said the family had been receiving support and advice from former British detainees in Iran and their relatives, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was held there for several years, and her husband Richard Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe mounted a years-long campaign for his wife's release, which eventually occurred in 2022.
Economic Times
a day ago
- Economic Times
Switzerland updates Schengen visa rules for Indians. What's changed in the latest rejig?
iStock If you're heading to Switzerland, make sure to stick to the updated visa rules. VFS Global, which handles visa applications for the Swiss Embassy in India, now says only documents on the official checklist will be accepted. Don't send any extra papers or explanations, they won't be considered, and there's no option to add more later. 'All the applicants are hereby informed that only the documents listed in the official checklist for the respective visa category will be accepted at the Visa Application Centre (VAC),' the Schengen visa alert reads. VFS also clarified that if you're submitting lengthy bank statements, only the first three pages and the last three pages will be accepted. ALSO READ: Schengen visa to go fully digital: No more lengthy paperwork & traditional visa stickers According to the current VFS Global's 2025 checklist for the Schengen Visa, all applicants need to submit a complete set of documents strictly limited to those listed in the official guidelines, including: A valid passport issued within the last 10 years, with 3 months' validity beyond the return date and at least two blank pages. One recent passport-size photo (white background, not older than 6 months). Must be pasted, not stapled or pinned. Completed and signed visa application form, and for minors, signed by legal guardians with proof of custody if applicable. An introduction letter from your employer, on company letterhead, signed and stamped by HR. Must include your position, dates of travel, purpose of visit, and a no-objection statement. Travel insurance with a minimum coverage of INR 30,36,660 (EUR 30,000), valid across Schengen countries. Must include medical emergencies and cover the full trip duration. Confirmed return flight tickets with traveller names and include intra-Schengen travel plans, if any. Hotel bookings, tour confirmations, or payment receipts are mandatory according to the Schengen visa alert. Financial proof (all documents in A4, stamped and signed by the bank): Last 3 months' salary slips, personal bank statements, and ITR-Vs for the last 2 years if you are employed, business registration, 3 months' bank statements, ITR-Vs if you are self-employed, and pension statements (3 months), proof of other income (e.g. rent) if you are retired. Family applications: You can submit together, and only the head of the family needs to attach financial documents, insurance, and bookings (with all names mentioned). For students (16+): Student ID and an introduction letter from the school or university. For minors (under 18): If not travelling with both parents, notarised consent from non-travelling parent(s) is required, and if travelling alone, notarised consent from both parents should be submitted alongside copies of both parents' passports, PAN cards or driving licences. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. The airport lounge war has begun — and DreamFolks is losing How Mukesh Ambani's risky bet has now become Reliance's superpower Indian IT firms never reveal the truth hiding behind 'strong' deal wins Did Meesho's Valmo really deliver a knockout punch to e-commerce logistics? Stock Radar: Strides Pharma stock hits fresh 52-week high in July; will the rally continue in August? Dividend yield: A most misunderstood parameter, both by traders & investors; 5 stocks with an upside potential of over 33% Time to buy may be good or bad, but business should be good: 5 mid-caps from different sectors with upside potential of up to 25% For investors who can think beyond Trump: 5 large-cap stocks with an upside potential of up to 36%
News18
a day ago
- News18
UK injects 100 million pounds to boost border security
Agency: PTI London, Aug 4 (PTI) The UK on Monday announced that it will invest 100 million pounds as part of its efforts to control soaring illegal migration. The new funding is earmarked for up to 300 extra National Crime Agency (NCA) officers, state-of-the-art detection technology and new equipment targeting criminal networks behind people smuggling, the Home Office said. The NCA's Border Security Command and other law enforcement agencies will benefit from a cash injection to strengthen investigations targeting smuggling kingpins and disrupt their operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and beyond, it added. The funding package will go towards supporting a new pilot of the 'one-in, one-out" UK returns agreement, which will see migrants who arrive illegally on small boats returned to France. It will also support the new powers to be introduced when the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill becomes law, criminalising the creation and publication of online material that promotes a breach of immigration law. 'This additional funding will strengthen every aspect of our plan, and will turbo-charge the ability of our law enforcement agencies to track the gangs and bring them down, working with our partners overseas, and using state-of-the-art technology and equipment," said UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. The Labour Party minister accused the previous Conservative Party government of allowing small boat smuggling gangs to embed their criminal trade across the English Channel, putting lives at risk with dangerous migrant crossings. 'They must not be allowed to get away with this vile crime. That is why this government has developed a serious and comprehensive plan to dismantle their business model, from disrupting their supply chains across the European continent to clamping down on their illegal working operations here in the UK," said Cooper. The new investment package unveiled this week is aimed at enabling more intelligence to be gathered on organised immigration crime gang members and support 'upstream capacity building" by intensifying efforts in transit countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia to target organised immigration crime. New hi-tech surveillance capabilities and AI-assisted intelligence and data analysis tools as well as the implementation of extended police powers to seize and download digital devices to gather evidence and intelligence, are among the government's priorities. 'We currently have 91 investigations ongoing into the most dangerous people smuggling networks impacting the UK, and are working with partners at home and abroad to target, disrupt and dismantle them. This additional funding will help boost our capacity and capability, enabling us to target more offenders," said Rob Jones, NCA Director General. The agency reported that in 2024-25, it achieved 351 NCA-led disruptions of organised immigration crime networks and activity – its highest level on record – and a 40 per cent increase on the previous financial year. Last week, it announced the agency's biggest people-smuggling raid and seizure of boat engines in Bulgaria. The added investment is expected to build on this to arrest and prosecute major smuggling gang leaders and the seizure of more small boats and engines. The investment comes as the latest statistics revealed more than 25,000 migrants made dangerous small boat crossings to enter the UK illegally last month, marking a new record for July. The government also plans a clampdown on student visas to stop migrants using the study route as a way to enter the UK legally and later claim asylum. It will see UK universities face stricter rules around course completion rates to maintain their ability to sponsor visas for foreign students, who typically pay higher fees than domestic students. PTI AK RD ZH RD RD RD (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 04, 2025, 18:15 IST News agency-feeds UK injects 100 million pounds to boost border security Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
