Government to overhaul serious crime laws to fight people smuggling

The government has announced plans to overhaul serious crime laws to combat people-smuggling gangs.

In a change to Serious Crime Prevention Orders, new Interim Orders will enable immediate action to disrupt and deter suspected serious criminality.

The orders form part of a stronger approach to organised crime, as part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

The government hopes that the new approach will level up the response to serious crime, including organised immigration crime, with new powers reflecting those which are already in place to disrupt other harmful criminality including knife crime, slavery and trafficking.

The new interim orders will speed up the process for placing restrictions on people under investigation to prevent, deter and disrupt serious and organised crime. They will also allow the police and other law enforcement agencies to apply directly to the High Court to impose immediate restrictions while a full Order is considered.

Restrictions will be applied on a case-by-case basis, but could include: travel restrictions; laptop or mobile phone bans; social media bans; restrictions on whom someone can associate with; restrictions on devices and communications with certain individuals; and restrictions on finances.

Those who breach an Interim Order could face five years in prison.

Home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Dangerous criminal people-smugglers are profiting from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. They cannot be allowed to get away with it.

“Stronger international collaboration has already led to important arrests and action against dangerous gangs over the last few months. We will give law enforcement stronger powers they need to pursue and stop more of these vile gang networks.

“Border security is one of the foundations of this government’s Plan for Change, including making people better off, delivering safer streets and strengthening our NHS, and we will do everything in our power to deliver for working people.”