(Commonwealth_Europe) The United Kingdom has launched a bold and unprecedented step in its efforts to combat irregular migration and organized immigration crime, announcing the first wave of sanctions targeting key individuals and entities involved in global people-smuggling networks. On July 23, the UK government sanctioned 25 targets believed to be at the center of smuggling operations that facilitate illegal migration to British shores. These sanctions mark the first use of a newly created sanctions regime, described as the world’s first dedicated solely to tackling irregular migration, demonstrating the government’s growing commitment to strengthening border control and dismantling the international criminal enterprises that profit from human exploitation.
This change is part of a broader initiative under the UK government’s “Plan for Change,” which aims to secure the country’s borders and reduce illegal migration routes. The sanctions are meant for a range of actors, from gang leaders arranging crossings across the English Channel to middlemen who help move illegal funds through informal systems such as Hawala to dealers who provide small boats and fake documents used in trafficking operations. Targets span across continents, from Asia and the Middle East to the Balkans and North Africa, reflecting the global nature of the issue.
By freezing assets, bank accounts, and properties, the UK aims to sever the financial lifelines that enable these criminal organisations to thrive. The goal is to disrupt the flow of money and materials that make these operations possible. Officials say this approach punishes offenders and weakens their capacity to continue preying on vulnerable migrants.
Among those named and sanctioned is Bledar Lala, an Albanian national said to be in charge of a criminal gang’s Belgium-based operations, facilitating dangerous crossings into the UK. Another target is a Chinese company accused of advertising and selling small boats online, specifically for use in smuggling migrants. These are the same types of overcrowded vessels regularly seen attempting the perilous Channel crossing.
Sanctions have also been imposed on Alen Basil, a former police translator who later became the leader of a smuggling network in Serbia. Basil is reported to have operated with the support of corrupt police and to have acquired a luxury property worth over one million euros, allegedly funded by extorting migrants. Another high-profile target is Mohammed Tetwani, known as the “King of Horgos,” who is believed to have run a notorious migrant camp in Serbia. Tetwani allegedly led a violent smuggling gang and was feared for his brutal treatment of migrants who could not pay or refused to cooperate.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the launch of the new sanctions regime as a “landmark moment” in the country’s battle against organized immigration crime. He emphasized that the UK is taking the fight to these criminal networks, no matter where in the world they operate. “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,” Lammy said.
The designations are the result of close collaboration between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the National Crime Agency (NCA), and other domestic and international partners. NCA Director General Graeme Biggar welcomed the new powers, stating that sanctions will serve as a powerful new tool in the fight against people-smuggling networks. He added that the NCA remains determined to dismantle the organized criminal systems that exploit migrants and threaten UK border security.
This action forms part of the UK’s wider “disrupt, deter, return” approach to managing irregular migration. Alongside sanctions, the strategy includes working with transit and origin countries to deter migrants from undertaking dangerous journeys and to facilitate the return of those with no legal right to remain in the UK. According to recent government figures, over 35,000 individuals, ranging from failed asylum seekers to convicted criminals, have been returned since the current government took office, marking a 13% increase compared to the same period the previous year.
