Latest news with #organisedcrime
France 24
2 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
UK launches first sanctions in new strategy to deter migrant crossings
In what it called a "landmark" first use of new powers, the move came as the government faces political pressure to stem migrant arrivals on small boats from northern France, at record levels. The asset freezes and travel bans announced target individuals and entities "driving irregular migration to the UK", and include four "gangs" and "gangland bosses" operating in the Balkans, the Foreign Office said. They also hit a small boat supplier in China, so-called "hawala" money movers in the Middle East, and seven alleged people-smugglers linked to Iraq. Foreign Secretary David Lammy called it "a landmark moment in the government's work to tackle organised immigration crime" impacting the UK. "From Europe to Asia we are taking the fight to the people-smugglers who enable irregular migration, targeting them wherever they are in the world," he added. "My message to the gangs who callously risk vulnerable lives for profit is this: we know who you are, and we will work with our partners around the world to hold you to account." 'Terrorising refugees' Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office a year ago promising to curb the journeys by "smashing the gangs" that facilitate the crossings, but he has struggled to deliver. Nearly 24,000 migrants have made the perilous journey across the Channel so far in 2025, the highest ever tally at this point in a year. The issue has become politically perilous in the UK, blamed for helping to fuel the rise of the far-right and violence at anti-migrant demonstrations. Protests have erupted sporadically outside hotels believed to house asylum-seekers, with a recent demonstration outside one in Epping, east of London, descending into clashes that injured eight police officers. Riots sparked by the stabbing to death of three young girls in northwestern Southport a year ago also saw suspected asylum-seeker hotels attacked and anti-migrant sentiment on display. As part of its strategy to curb new arrivals, the government is also cracking down on illegal working, which European neighbours cite as a "pull factor" for UK-bound migrants. It announced late Tuesday a new agreement with delivery firms Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats which includes sharing the locations of asylum hotels to help tackle illegal working. Meanwhile in another new tactic, artificial intelligence technology will be trialled to assess disputed ages of asylum-seekers who claim to be children, the interior ministry said Tuesday. 'Far-fetched' Wednesday's designations represent the UK's first use of its new "Global Irregular Migration Sanctions Regime". It claims the regime is a "world first", empowering the Foreign Office to target foreign financiers and companies as well as individuals allegedly involved in facilitating people-smuggling to the UK. In all, it sanctioned 20 individuals, four gangs -- two Balkan groups and two of North African origin operating in the Balkans -- and Chinese firm Weihai Yamar Outdoor Product Co. It has advertised its small boats online "explicitly for the purpose of people-smuggling," the Foreign Office said. Among those facing curbs was Bledar Lala, described as an Albanian controlling "the 'Belgium operations' of an organised criminal group" involved in the crossings. The UK also targeted Alen Basil, a former police translator it accused of now leading a large smuggling network in Serbia, "terrorising refugees, with the aid of corrupt policemen". London hit alleged "gangland boss" Mohammed Tetwani with sanctions, noting he was dubbed the "King of Horgos" over his brutal running of a migrant camp in the Serbian town Horgos. Author and researcher Tom Keatinge, of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said the sanctions were "a new front in the UK's efforts to control a business model that brings profit to the enablers" and misery to victims. "However, I would caution against overpromising," he told AFP. "Talk of freezing assets and using sanctions to 'smash the gangs' seems far-fetched and remains to be seen. © 2025 AFP
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Nearly 40% of Manx prisoners linked to organised crime
More than a third of Isle of Man prisoners have links to organised crime, the chief constable has said in his annual Foster released the findings for the 2024-25 financial year, which showed overall crime dropped by 10%. Home Affairs Minister Jane Poole-Wilson welcomed the report, which was accepted by Tynwald members on said areas of "drug-related and serious and organised crime remain a key focus" for the department. The number of prisoners with links to Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) had risen to 39% in 2024-25, the report figure is 6% higher than the start of 2024 at 33%, and 14% higher than at the end of 2023, at 25%.This year has seen violent crime reduced, but the proportion of crimes linked to drugs has risen from 9% to 14%.Mr Foster's report outlined there were 239 "disruptions" to OCGs throughout the financial year, which included arrests, seizures, sentencings, and "other action which affects the ability of the OCG to operate".The number of disruptions was 71% higher than the previous year, where 140 disruptions were logged in 2023-24. 'Deter, disrupt, detect' Mr Foster's report outlined there were 239 "disruptions" to OCGs throughout the financial year, which included arrests, seizures, sentencings, and "other action which affects the ability of the OCG to operate".The number of disruptions was 71% higher than the previous year, where 140 disruptions were logged in Foster said the force had made a "major impact on two OCGs", a "moderate impact on two OCGs", and a "minor impact on six OCGs". The groups were mostly related to drugs and money laundering, the report said, including four international money laundering OCGs. Three related to fraud, one related to immigration fraud and two related to human trafficking and modern slavery, the report Foster said there had been 37 local arrests, and 22 in the UK, as a result of operations carried out related to organised crime. They saw a total of £464,000 of cocaine seized, £250,000 of cannabis, and £75,000 of ketamine. There was also about £127,000 of criminal property seized. Poole-Wilson said the report reflected the risk from OCGs and the department was making "continued efforts to deter, disrupt, detect, and bring to justice those who commit such crimes".Poole-Wilson said work had taken place at the island's ports, which had resulted in closer working arrangements in immigration and customs. "These areas of drug related and serious and organised crime remain a key focus and align with ongoing work to address exploitation of young and vulnerable people and reducing violence and harm," she added. Elsewhere in the report, Mr Foster reported a rise in reported domestic abuse and sexual offence crimes, which the chief constable said reflected the "impact of new legislation and increased public confidence".He said: "The full implementation of the Domestic Abuse Act 2020 and the Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Act 2021 has led to improved victim safeguarding, enhanced enforcement capabilities, and strengthened multi-agency coordination."There had been a 25% increase in the number of rape offences reported this year and a 24% increase for other sexual offences, the report said.A new Sexual Assault Referral Centre is set to open later this year. Staffing challenges The report highlighted "stretched resources" and "significant staffing challenges" which led to a reduction in the number of community based officers. Mr Foster said there were an estimated 30 officers leaving the organisation between 2025 and 2028 which was "compounding the existing shortages".Starting salaries for new recruits had been increased to £33,690, compared to £29,907 in the UK, which he said aligned them with other law enforcement agencies on the new recruits had completed their initial police training, and would begin the next phase of training, which would "alleviate the officer shortages we have been experiencing", Mr Foster Tynwald, Poole-Wilson said there was a further recruitment drive under way, adding: "We are absolutely building back."The report was received unanimously by the Manx parliament. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Top policeman shakes South Africa with explosive allegations about his boss
A highly respected police officer has shaken South Africa's government - and won the admiration of many ordinary people - with his explosive allegations that organised crime groups have penetrated the upper echelons of President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration. Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi did it in dramatic style - dressed in military-like uniform and surrounded by masked police officers with automatic weapons, he called a press conference to accuse Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of having ties to criminal gangs. He also said his boss had closed down an elite unit investigating political murders after it uncovered a drug cartel with tentacles in the business sector, prison department, prosecution service and judiciary. "We are on combat mode, I am taking on the criminals directly," he declared, in an address broadcast live on national TV earlier this month. South Africans have long been concerned about organised crime, which, leading crime expert Dr Johan Burger pointed out, was at a "very serious level". One of the most notorious cases was that of South Africa's longest-serving police chief, Jackie Selebi, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2010 after being convicted of taking bribes from an Italian drug lord, Glen Agliotti, in exchange for turning a blind eye to his criminal activity. But Gen Mkhwanazi's intervention was unprecedented - the first time that a police officer had publicly accused a cabinet member, let alone the one in charge of policing, of having links to criminal gangs. The reaction was instantaneous. Mchunu dismissed the allegations as "wild and baseless" and said he "stood ready to respond to the accusations", but the public rallied around Gen Mkhwanazi - the police commissioner in KwaZulu-Natal - despite the province also being Mchunu's political turf. #HandsoffNhlanhlaMkhwanazi topped the trends list on X, in a warning shot to the government not to touch the 52-year-old officer. "He's [seen as] a no-nonsense person who takes the bull by the horn," Calvin Rafadi, a crime expert based at South Africa's University of Johannesburg, told the BBC. Gen Mkhwanazi first earned public admiration almost 15 years ago when, in his capacity as South Africa's acting police chief, he suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli, a close ally of then-President Jacob Zuma. Mdluli was later sentenced to five years in jail for kidnapping, assault, and intimidation, vindicating Gen Mkhwanazi's view that he was a rotten apple within the police service. Gen Mkhwanazi faced enormous pressure to shield Mdluli, with his political bosses assuming that the officer, aged only 38 at the time, would be "open to manipulation [but] they were grossly mistaken", said Dr Burger. Not only did he push ahead with Mdluli's suspension, he also made claims of political interference during an appearance in Parliament. While this move earned him brownie points with citizens, his public outburst did him no favours and he was axed barely a year into the job and shunted back into obscurity for a number of years. He made a dramatic comeback in 2018 when then-Police Minister Bheki Cele appointed him to the provincial police chief post, with one of his major tasks being to investigate killings in a province where competition for political power - and lucrative state tenders - is fierce. It would be the disbandment of this investigative unit by Mr Mchunu that led to Gen Mkhwanazi's explosive briefing a fortnight ago, complaining that 121 case dockets were "gathering dust" at the national police headquarters. "I will die for this [police] badge. I will not back down," Gen Mkhwanazi said, in line with his reputation of being a brave and selfless officer who cannot be captured by a corrupt political and business elite. A survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSCRC) shows that public trust in the police stands at an all-time low of 22%, The police force has long been plagued by issues of political interference, corruption and a seeming inability to effectively tackle the high crime levels. The crisis has also reached the force's upper structures, with about 10 different police chiefs since 2000 - one has been convicted of corruption and another currently faces criminal charges. "The dysfunction is across all levels," Gareth Newham of the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS) think-tank told the BBC, adding that "there are many dynamics within the police service that need to be fixed". South Africa's police minister accused of links to criminal gangs Caught in the crossfire - the victims of Cape Town's gang warfare But Gen Mkhwanazi's tenure has not been without controversy. He was the subject of an investigation by the police watchdog, following a complaint that he interfered in a criminal investigation into a senior prisons official. However, he was cleared of the charge last month, with the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) saying the complaint was "designed to derail a committed officer who has been unrelenting in his fight against crime and corruption". Gen Mkhwanazi's team has also faced criticism for their heavy-handed approach towards criminal suspects, who are sometimes shot dead in confrontations with officers under his command. Mr Newham said that with Gen Mkhwanazi seen as the "cop's cop", the public was willing to turn a blind eye to his officers' alleged abuses because "they want to have a hero in the police". With Mchunu sent packing, South Africa will have a new acting police minister from next month - Firoz Cachalia, a law professor who comes from a renowned family of anti-apartheid activists, and served as minister of Community Safety in Gauteng, South Africa's economic heartland, from 2004 to 2009. In an interview with local TV station Newzroom Afrika, Cachalia said that Gen Mkhwanazi's decision to go public with his explosive allegations was "highly unusual", but if they turned out to be true then "we will be able to see in retrospect that he was perfectly justified in doing what he did". So Gen Mkhwanazi's credibility is on the line - either he proves his allegations against Mchunu or he could fall on his sword. But for now he has cemented his reputation as a brave police officer who took on his political bosses - twice. More BBC stories on South Africa: Ramaphosa struggles to mend fences with Trump South Africa's political marriage of convenience avoids divorce - just How Ramaphosa might gain from US showdown Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi: The top cop who stood up to politicians
A highly respected police officer has shaken South Africa's government - and won the admiration of many ordinary people - with his explosive allegations that organised crime groups have penetrated the upper echelons of President Cyril Ramaphosa's Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi did it in dramatic style - dressed in military-like uniform and surrounded by masked police officers with automatic weapons, he called a press conference to accuse Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of having ties to criminal also said his boss had closed down an elite unit investigating political murders after it uncovered a drug cartel with tentacles in the business sector, prison department, prosecution service and judiciary."We are on combat mode, I am taking on the criminals directly," he declared, in an address broadcast live on national TV earlier this Africans have long been concerned about organised crime, which, leading crime expert Dr Johan Burger pointed out, was at a "very serious level". One of the most notorious cases was that of South Africa's longest-serving police chief, Jackie Selebi, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2010 after being convicted of taking bribes from an Italian drug lord, Glen Agliotti, in exchange for turning a blind eye to his criminal Gen Mkhwanazi's intervention was unprecedented - the first time that a police officer had publicly accused a cabinet member, let alone the one in charge of policing, of having links to criminal reaction was instantaneous. Mchunu dismissed the allegations as "wild and baseless" and said he "stood ready to respond to the accusations", but the public rallied around Gen Mkhwanazi - the police commissioner in KwaZulu-Natal - despite the province also being Mchunu's political turf.#HandsoffNhlanhlaMkhwanazi topped the trends list on X, in a warning shot to the government not to touch the 52-year-old officer."He's [seen as] a no-nonsense person who takes the bull by the horn," Calvin Rafadi, a crime expert based at South Africa's University of Johannesburg, told the BBC. Gen Mkhwanazi first earned public admiration almost 15 years ago when, in his capacity as South Africa's acting police chief, he suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli, a close ally of then-President Jacob was later sentenced to five years in jail for kidnapping, assault, and intimidation, vindicating Gen Mkhwanazi's view that he was a rotten apple within the police Mkhwanazi faced enormous pressure to shield Mdluli, with his political bosses assuming that the officer, aged only 38 at the time, would be "open to manipulation [but] they were grossly mistaken", said Dr only did he push ahead with Mdluli's suspension, he also made claims of political interference during an appearance in this move earned him brownie points with citizens, his public outburst did him no favours and he was axed barely a year into the job and shunted back into obscurity for a number of years. He made a dramatic comeback in 2018 when then-Police Minister Bheki Cele appointed him to the provincial police chief post, with one of his major tasks being to investigate killings in a province where competition for political power - and lucrative state tenders - is would be the disbandment of this investigative unit by Mr Mchunu that led to Gen Mkhwanazi's explosive briefing a fortnight ago, complaining that 121 case dockets were "gathering dust" at the national police headquarters."I will die for this [police] badge. I will not back down," Gen Mkhwanazi said, in line with his reputation of being a brave and selfless officer who cannot be captured by a corrupt political and business elite.A survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSCRC) shows that public trust in the police stands at an all-time low of 22%,The police force has long been plagued by issues of political interference, corruption and a seeming inability to effectively tackle the high crime crisis has also reached the force's upper structures, with about 10 different police chiefs since 2000 - one has been convicted of corruption and another currently faces criminal charges."The dysfunction is across all levels," Gareth Newham of the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS) think-tank told the BBC, adding that "there are many dynamics within the police service that need to be fixed".South Africa's police minister accused of links to criminal gangsCaught in the crossfire - the victims of Cape Town's gang warfareBut Gen Mkhwanazi's tenure has not been without controversy. He was the subject of an investigation by the police watchdog, following a complaint that he interfered in a criminal investigation into a senior prisons he was cleared of the charge last month, with the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) saying the complaint was "designed to derail a committed officer who has been unrelenting in his fight against crime and corruption".Gen Mkhwanazi's team has also faced criticism for their heavy-handed approach towards criminal suspects, who are sometimes shot dead in confrontations with officers under his Newham said that with Gen Mkhwanazi seen as the "cop's cop", the public was willing to turn a blind eye to his officers' alleged abuses because "they want to have a hero in the police".With Mchunu sent packing, South Africa will have a new acting police minister from next month - Firoz Cachalia, a law professor who comes from a renowned family of anti-apartheid activists, and served as minister of Community Safety in Gauteng, South Africa's economic heartland, from 2004 to an interview with local TV station Newzroom Afrika, Cachalia said that Gen Mkhwanazi's decision to go public with his explosive allegations was "highly unusual", but if they turned out to be true then "we will be able to see in retrospect that he was perfectly justified in doing what he did".So Gen Mkhwanazi's credibility is on the line - either he proves his allegations against Mchunu or he could fall on his for now he has cemented his reputation as a brave police officer who took on his political bosses - twice. More BBC stories on South Africa: Ramaphosa struggles to mend fences with TrumpSouth Africa's political marriage of convenience avoids divorce - justHow Ramaphosa might gain from US showdown Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
ABC News
7 days ago
- ABC News
Alleged cartel links revealed as surfers' murder case delayed
Two men charged with the murders of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson in Mexico have been transferred to a maximum-security prison due to their alleged ties to organised crime, court documents have revealed. A judge has delayed two planned hearings and the matter is now due to return to court next week.
