- UK and Germany re-double efforts to tackle illegal migration
and crack down on people smuggling gangs in Europe
- Foreign Secretary to say greater collaboration with partners
needed to keep the UK's borders safe
- UK set to announce new action to bear down on Russian cyber
criminals
People smugglers across Europe will face renewed efforts to
dismantle and destroy their business models this week, as the
Foreign Secretary visits Germany to drum up support from partners
to protect borders and tackle organised immigration
crime.
Foreign Secretary will be in Berlin to drive
forward her mission to forge international partnerships that
tackle illegal migration and bolster border security
together.
Meeting her German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, the Foreign
Secretary will underline the need to use all means necessary to
take on criminal gangs, from intercepting small boats en route to
the Channel, to ensuring international legal frameworks can deal
with today's migration challenges.
She will also mark progress on the new German law to criminalise
smuggler gangs storing small boats which was agreed as part of
the Kensington Treaty in July and is due to complete its passage
into law through the German Parliament by the Christmas break.
The new law that Cooper has championed means that German police
and the UK's National Crime Agency can take action on the
warehouses and industrial supply chains run by organised
immigration crime gangs who operate in the Channel.
The visit comes as the government has announced sweeping reforms
to tackle illegal migration and remove incentives that draw
illegal migrants to come to Britain. Only by having a system that
is strongly controlled and managed can Britain maintain
confidence in support for those who truly need protection.
The Foreign Secretary's visit comes amidst ongoing operations led
by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) and partner agencies
across Europe to target the criminal smuggling gangs, with nearly
200 arrests in the past year.
The UK and Germany work closely together to tackle organised
immigration crime as part of our Joint Action Plan on Illegal
Migration – last month, an individual believed to be a
high-ranking member of a Syrian people smuggling gang was
arrested by the NCA in Manchester. The individual was also wanted
by the German authorities on seventeen separate charges.
Earlier this month, NCA officers also supported a major operation
in Germany, targeting an Iraqi people smuggling network resulting
in 13 arrests, and seizure of 21 boats and 24 engines,
alongside life jackets, pumps and cash.
Foreign Secretary, said:
“Together with Germany we are taking new action to stop
illegal small boat crossings, to strengthen border security and
to go after the criminal smuggler gangs who have been storing
boats and equipment in German warehouses. As a result of the
landmark Treaty we signed earlier in the year, Germany is now set
to change its law by Christmas so our police can jointly go after
the smugglers and traffickers and their vile trade in human
lives
“Criminal smuggler gangs operate across borders, so
governments and law enforcement need to cooperate across borders
to bring them down.
“Our partnerships with other countries alongside our reforms
to the broken asylum system are crucial to restoring order and
control and strengthening our border
security.”
Both countries will also discuss the urgent need to continue
defending Europe from malicious Russian hybrid activity, with the
Foreign Secretary expected to announce fresh action to crack down
on underground cyber networks.
As key Coalition of the Willing and G7 partners, the UK and
Germany are working in lockstep to secure a just and
lasting peace in Ukraine. The UK and Germany have been key
players in support for Ukraine and both
increased the pressure on Russia by bearing down on
revenues and cutting off critical military
supplies.
The Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Wadephul will hold the
annual UK-Germany Strategic Dialogue, building on the success of
the Kensington Treaty signed in July, and looking ahead to German
President Steinmeier's State Visit to the UK in
December.
Since taking office the government has been fixing the
foundations of the asylum system, returning nearly 50,000 people
with no right to be here - saving taxpayer millions in asylum
costs. The UK continues to play a leading international role in
tackling organised immigration crime, including through
ground-breaking returns deals with Vietnam, Iraq and France, and
strengthened cooperation with countries across the Western
Balkans.
