A 41-year-old man has been jailed for organised crime and drug offences. William Byrne was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh today (Monday, 25 May, 2026).
At the same court on Wednesday, 15 April, 2026, he pleaded guilty to being involved in serious and organised crime.
Byrne was arrested in Portugal in October 2025 and later arrested and charged in connection with serious and organised crime offences on 25 November 2025 as part of a joint partnership with the National Crime Agency.
Detective Chief Inspector Laura Sands, said: “I hope this sentencing sends a message to those involved in serious and organised crime and drugs that you will be caught and you will face the consequences.
“Byrne’s involvement in this type of crime spanned across Europe and we worked with international partners, alongside law enforcement agencies in the UK and abroad, to ensure Byrne could be held accountable for his leading part in a sophisticated criminal enterprise, bringing drugs into our country with no regard for the harm and misery they cause.
“There is no place for this type of criminality in our communities and we will continue to work with partner agencies to tackle this and make our communities safer.”
Alan O’Brien, Branch Commander for the NCA in Scotland, said: “William Byrne is a dangerous criminal, working internationally with the aim of flooding Scotland with lethal drugs.
“The NCA worked closely with our law enforcement colleagues overseas and Police Scotland to track Byrne down and return him to the UK to face justice for his crimes.
“We will continue to work with partners to protect the public from serious and organised criminals like Byrne who cause harm to our local communities.”
Organised crime gangs will be hit with raids, shop closures, and cash seizures in a £30 million crackdown on dodgy high street shops
Organised crime gangs operating across Britain’s high streets will be hit with a major police offensive in a new nationwide crackdown on dodgy shops.
Rogue barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops linked to organised crime will face raids, closures and cash seizures under a new £30 million crackdown targeting money laundering, tax evasion, and illegal working over 3 years.
£20 million of funding will go towards an enhanced law enforcement response, including establishing a new multi-agency co-ordination cell based out of the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Police officers will also be uplifted across forces in hotspot regions. Altogether, 75 new police officers will be recruited across the NCA, Greater Manchester Police, West Midlands Police and a joint Kent Police and Essex Police Unit, to build intelligence at a national level and increase the number of dedicated officers tackling organised crime on the ground.
Trading Standards will also be backed with £6 million in new funding to bolster the response to sham businesses in at-risk local authorities. New officer training will be rolled out to identify suspicious businesses, strengthen business compliance, and boost enforcement.
A new High Street Organised Crime Unit has also been established to bring together government departments, policing partners, and Trading Standards. Together, the additional funding and new unit builds on strong enforcement action such as Operation Machinize, to boost the national and local response to targeting criminal networks operating in plain sight on Britain’s high streets.
Overseen by the Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, the unit will be responsible for identifying what more is needed – from stronger powers to better co-ordination – to stop this criminal activity from happening in the first place.
A rapid review of local responders’ powers is underway to explore how these can be strengthened, starting with a consultation on extending the duration of closure orders, where appropriate, to shut criminal businesses down for longer.
Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said: “Criminal gangs have exploited our high streets to launder their dirty money and undercut honest businesses.
“We are hitting back with a nationwide crackdown to shut these fronts down, seize dirty cash and drive organised crime off our high streets and put bosses behind bars”
It comes as the NCA estimate at least £12 billion of criminal cash is generated in the UK each year, with £1 billion laundered through high street businesses like mini-marts, barber shops, vape stores and sweet shops. Some businesses are also connected to the sale of fake goods, tax evasion, illegal working, and illegal drug supply.
Thousands of businesses are expected to be raided, hundreds of arrests made and millions in cash seized as a national intensification campaign will be put on permanent footing annually to drive co-ordinated enforcement across the country.
Sal Melki, Deputy Director of Illicit Finance at the National Crime Agency, said: “For the past 18 months, the NCA, in conjunction with policing partners, has led Operation Machinize, the largest operation against economic crime on our high streets.
“By bringing together policing, HMRC, Immigration Enforcement, Trading Standards, and other partners in a co-ordinated approach, over 950 people have been arrested and over £10 million worth of criminal value seized.
“This criminal activity makes our communities less safe and less prosperous. It undermines legitimate business, deprives public services of tax revenues, and fuels a range of predicate offences such as the drugs trade, illicit goods, trafficking, and organised immigration crime.
“We will not stop and having the support of the High Street Organised Crime Unit to grow the Machinize partnership will enable us to target and disrupt more high harm offenders.
“The HSOCU will be key to a whole of government response, where enforcement action is backed up with the laws, policies and powers required at all levels to get this criminal element out of our high streets.”
Lord Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said: “Organised high street crime, including the illegal sale of tobacco and counterfeit goods, is damaging communities across the country.
“These criminal networks undercut honest businesses, draw money away from local economies and expose consumers to unregulated and potentially unsafe products. They are also often linked to wider offending, including money laundering, exploitation, and violence.
“The creation of a new High Street Organised Crime Unit will help drive a co-ordinated national response while strengthening local enforcement capability through additional support and funding for Trading Standards, police and partner agencies on the ground, who will work together to disrupt organised offenders, protect the public and support honest businesses that play by the rules.”
The latest Operation Machinize in November saw 2,734 premises visited and raided, 924 individuals arrested, over £13 million of suspected criminal proceeds seized or restrained, and more than £2.7 million worth of illicit commodities destroyed. It builds on the £300 million in criminal assets recovered by law enforcement last year, with money invested back to the front lines to support agencies leading the fight against crime.
The new National Police Service will go further by bringing together the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, and regional organised crime units’ capabilities to strengthen the response to serious and organised crime.
Deputy Commissioner Nik Adams, City of London Police and National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Financial Investigation and Asset Recovery, said: “Our high streets should be places where legitimate businesses can grow, not places where organised criminals hide behind shopfronts.
“This task force will harness the efforts of the National Crime Agency, national economic crime leads, local community policing, specialist officers and partners to target the businesses being used to launder criminal money, recover criminal assets and protect legitimate traders.
“Operation Machinize has shown that the most effective response comes when neighbourhood officers, financial investigators and national agencies work as one team. Local officers understand their communities and can identify suspicious activity, while financial investigators, the City of London Police as national lead force, and the NCA help connect that activity to the organised crime groups and the money flows behind it.
“The message to organised criminals is clear. If criminal cash is being pushed through high street businesses, policing and our partners will act. Through the High Street Organised Crime Unit, we will use intelligence, asset recovery and financial investigation to turn local disruption into lasting national impact.”
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “The new High Street Organised Crime Unit will be welcome news for people across the country.
“Illegitimate businesses and retail theft are major issues and too often linked to criminal gang activity. Stolen goods are commonly funnelled through illicit supply chains and resold through unscrupulous businesses, helping fund further criminality. This harms businesses, puts colleagues at risk, and pushes up prices for honest shoppers.
“Tackling it requires prioritisation from police and government, and co-or2dination and intelligence sharing between retailers, law enforcement, and local partners. We look forward to working together to deliver real progress.”
John Herriman, Chief Executive of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, (CTSI), said: “CTSI welcomes the introduction of the High Street Organised Crime Unit, which will bring together partner agencies – including Trading Standards – to tackle organised criminality on our high streets.
“The proliferation of so called “dodgy shops” puts consumers at significant risk and undermines the legitimate businesses who drive economic growth across the UK. The new unit will bring a much-needed focus to help clamp down on a blight on our high streets and communities.”
Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive Ed Woodall said: “Local shops tell us that rogue traders on high streets are causing massive damage to their businesses and the wider community, so we strongly welcome this Government action to back responsible retailers and crack down on the organised crime gangs that are fuelling the illicit trade.“
Thousands of premises have been targeted in the second iteration of Operation Machinize, a national initiative targeting the criminal exploitation of high street businesses.
Operation Machinize 2, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and conducted in cooperation with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), ran throughout October and involved every UK police force and Regional Organised Crime Unit, Home Office Immigration Enforcement, Trading Standards, HM Revenue & Customs and Companies House.
During the operation, the partnership delivered:
2734 premises visited and raided
924 individuals arrested
Over £10.7m of suspected criminal proceeds seized
Over £2.7m worth of illicit commodities destroyed
These figures include the removal of 70Kg of cannabis from our streets, 111,000 harmful, illegal vapes, 4.5m illegal cigarettes and 622Kg of illegal tobacco (equalling £3.5m of duty taxes evaded). Furthermore, 341 Referral Notices for illegal working and renting were issued meaning businesses could face fines of up to £60,000 per worker with landlords facing fines of up to £20,000 per tenant if found liable, and over 450 companies have been referred to Companies House for further investigation.
This is the largest operation of its kind focused on rooting out the economic crime and grey economy that makes our high streets less safe and prosperous.
The NCA estimates that at least £12bn of criminal cash is generated in the UK each year, which is typically smuggled out of the country or integrated into financial systems, often to be recycled back into criminality.
High street businesses such as mini-marts, barbershops, vape shops, nail bars, and car washes are used to make the proceeds of crime appear like the legitimate profits of a trade or service. High street businesses are also being used to sell illicit products and evade tax, and are often linked to other types of criminality such as drugs supply and the serious violence it causes.
Earlier this year, the NCA established Operation Machinize after identifying the criminal exploitation of high street businesses was beyond the scope of any one organisation. Working in partnership with the NPCC, it aims to catalyse a large-scale operational response to a multi-faceted problem.
This approach – coordinated nationally and delivered in our communities – ensures the most effective use of powers and capabilities, capitalising on the strengths and remits of each participating agency.
Machinize was established to target economic crime on the high street with this iteration also focusing on the grey economy. There is a known overlap with the exploitation of high street businesses, illegal working and the evasion of customs and excise duties. This overlap also includes modern slavery and unsuitable living and working conditions, and safeguarding individuals at risk is remains a priority for the partnership.
Rachael Herbert, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre at the NCA, said:“Operation Machinize targets businesses on our high street that are being used as cover for a wide range of criminality, making our communities less safe and less prosperous.
“This second phase of Operation Machinize has set a new standard for what can be achieved through the coordinated action of UK law enforcement. Thousands of officers have been deployed up and down our country, targeting criminal profits and the means of generating them.
“Hundreds of thousands of harmful and illegal products have been taken off our streets, and over £10m in cash, frozen in bank accounts and criminal assets seized.
“Depriving criminals of their source of income has a real impact, limiting the amount of funds they can reinvest in further offending and deterring them from taking spaces on our high street that could be used by legitimate businesses.
“These excellent results demonstrate what can be achieved in partnership and show the determination of UK law enforcement to keep our communities safe. We ask for the public’s support as we move forward and to continue to report suspected criminality to the police.”
Sal Melki, Senior Lead for Machinize 2 at the NCA, said:“Machinize 2 has pioneered a whole-system approach to addressing this problem, with the NCA hosting a joint operational cell where our partners could bring their powers, expertise, and energy to tackling an issue the British public care about.
“Over the course of the month, we have learnt a lot about the threat, the different types of offending occurring on our high street and what tactics are effective in combatting it. We have also learnt that this type of offending is not restricted to any one area, type of shop or demographic.
“The scale of this challenge is significant, but it is also important to remember that the majority of shops on our high streets are not considered suspicious.
“While there is organised crime occurring at the top of the pyramid, we do not underestimate the aggregated effect that thousands of shops engaged in so-called lower level criminality is having on our communities and the criminal supply chains that profit from them. The Machinize model therefore relies on local knowledge and delivery just as much as national coordination and intelligence.
“This phase of the operation has been a big success and is one of the largest operations of its kind. We acknowledge the problem won’t be solved overnight or through disruptive action alone – today’s high street is subject to many socio-economic factors beyond the scope of a law enforcement partnership.
“We are therefore working closely with government to use the learning from this operation to build on and develop long-term solutions.”
Security Minster, Dan Jarvis said:“Criminals are using these dodgy shops as fronts for serious organised crime, money laundering and illegal working, risking the future of the British high street.
“We have intensified our joint efforts with law enforcement to dismantle criminal networks and relentlessly pursue those who use dirty money for personal gain.
“Together we have seized millions in criminal assets, removed harmful drugs from our streets and arrested hundreds of criminals who are undercutting honest business owners. I want to thank every officer who took part in this operation.”
Deputy Commissioner Nik Adams, NPCC Lead Financial Investigation:“This action has seen a huge collective effort from UK law enforcement agencies, working together to tackle organised gangs who exploit cash intensive businesses for criminal gain.
“We’ve seen every force in England and Wales working to build intelligence pictures, ensuring we are targeting people who are laundering illicit cash through businesses. We know this money will have links with other forms of criminality such as the exploitation of workers, people trafficking and the sale of illicit goods.
“Not only are we tackling this activity but through this action, we are gaining information and forming a wider picture on high harm offending. Our message is clear, we are alive to the activity happening and we are identifying and bringing to justice those who misuse businesses on our high streets for illegal gain.”
Kevin Hubbard, Director of Individual and Small Business Compliance at HM Revenue and Customs, said:“We are determined to allow honest businesses to thrive which is why it’s crucial we work closely with our law enforcement partners to take action against any business that we suspect are undermining the tax system.
“The majority pay the tax that is due, but we will pursue those who refuse to play by the rules.”
Illegal workers arrested in nationwide enforcement surge as part of government’s drive to crack down on immigration crime
Hundreds of arrests have been made across the UK following a week-long crackdown on riders working illegally for delivery firms.
Under Operation Equalize, the Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement teams launched a nationwide intensification week of activity targeting illegal working hotspots, with a focus on the gig economy and migrants working as delivery riders.
Between 20 and 27 July 2025, a total of 1,780 individuals were stopped and spoken to, leading to 280 arrests for illegal working activity.
As a direct result of this operation, 53 individuals are now having their asylum support reviewed, which could result in their support being suspended or withdrawn.
This follows warnings from ministers last month that anyone caught flagrantly abusing the immigration system could face having their asylum support ceased, such as entitlement to accommodation or payments. Those caught working illegally face removal from the UK.
The results come as the Home Office confirms today (9 August) that Immigration Enforcement teams will receive a £5 million funding boost to ramp up illegal working intensification activity even further.
The cash injection, to be drawn from the £100 million investment for border security announced earlier this week, will contribute to a major surge in enforcement visits over the coming months.
It will allow officers to revisit and re-attend illegal working hotspots more frequently and increase enforcement teams’ intelligence gathering capabilities to support frontline enforcement activity.
The results of Operation Equalize come just weeks after the Home Office announced a new agreement with top food delivery firms that will see Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat receive new information concerning the location of asylum hotels to help better target people working illegally.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle said: Illegal working undermines our border security and we’re cracking down hard on it.
“That’s why we have intensified our enforcement activity right across the UK to crack down on those who think they can evade immigration and employment laws in the UK.
“This government is making sure rules are respected and enforced – this operation is just one example of our relentless efforts to bear down on organised immigration crime at every level in our communities.”
In addition to the arrests made as part of Operation Equalize, 51 businesses, including car washes, restaurants and retail premises, were issued with Civil Penalty Referral Notices. This could see them face hefty fines if they are found to have employed illegal workers and failed to conduct relevant pre-employment checks.
The operation was also supported by police forces across the UK, with officers seizing 71 vehicles throughout the week, including 58 e-bikes, as well as £8,000 in cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act and around £460,000 in illicit cigarettes.
During one Operation Equalize visit on Tuesday 22 July, officers in West London arrested 7 Indian nationals in Hillingdon, with 5 detained as a result.
Meanwhile, Immigration Enforcement Officers made 3 arrests in Dumfries, Scotland during a joint operation with police and Trading Standards on tobacco control.
And on Friday 25 July, 5 e-bikes were seized by police in Birmingham city centre where Immigration Officers arrested 2 riders of Bangladeshi and Ethiopian nationality for illegal working offences.
280 people have been arrested across the UK in a week-long crackdown on illegal delivery riders.
This comes as we announce a £5 million funding boost for Immigration Enforcement teams to ramp up illegal working enforcement even more. pic.twitter.com/7mgudpmIJj
Eddy Montgomery, Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime at the Home Office, said: “We continue to intensify our activity against those who think they can get away with working illegally.
“My teams have been taking action around the clock, all across the country and I thank them for their hard work, co-operation and skill in dealing with this challenging issue.
“I welcome the additional funding which will allow us to strengthen our enforcement efforts against illegal working further, to ensure those fuelling it are caught.”
The government is also tightening the law by making it a legal requirement for all companies, including the gig economy, to check that anyone working for them has the legal right to do so.
This will end the abuse of flexible working arrangements. The new measures will be introduced through the landmark Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.
These measures form a key part of a whole system approach to tackling illegal migration from every angle, by removing the false promise of jobs used by smuggling gangs to sell spaces on small boats.
Just this week, the Home Office announced the latest step towards dismantling the criminal trade in small boat crossings as the UK-France treaty to target illegal crossings came into force. The groundbreaking agreement means anyone entering the UK on a small boat can be detained immediately on arrival and returned to France by the UK government, with detentions having already begun.
On top of this, a wider £100 million investment in border security, confirmed earlier this week, will drive a major new crackdown by funding up to 300 extra National Crime Agency Officers and state of the art technology to smash the networks putting lives at risk in the Channel.
Since coming into power a year ago, the government has also returned 35,000 people with no right to be in the UK, including failed asylum seekers, immigration and foreign national offenders. Since the election, there are now fewer asylum hotels open, saving millions of taxpayers’ money.
Dangerous criminal gangs profiting from deadly small boats crossings will face a major new crackdown following a £100 million investment in border security.
The funding will pay for up to 300 extra National Crime Agency officers (NCA), state-of-the art detection technology and new equipment to smash the networks putting lives at risk in the Channel.
The investment will see the Border Security Command, the NCA, the police and other law enforcement agency partners receive a significant cash injection to strengthen investigations targeting smuggling kingpins and disrupt their operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and beyond.
The package of up to £100 million will boost existing law enforcement operations and allow more intelligence to be gathered on organised immigration crime gang members, support upstream capacity building, purchase sophisticated technology and equipment to strengthen UK border security and disrupt the people-smuggling gangs.
The investment will build on the recent successes under existing funding, including the arrest and prosecution of major smuggling gang kingpins, the seizure of over 600 small boats and engines, and the disruption of a further 351 criminal gangs through the work of the NCA.
It comes as the NCA announced their biggest people-smuggling raid and seizure of boat engines in Bulgaria last week – showing the impact increased international law enforcement operations can have.
The comprehensive funding package will include:
Funding to support the new pilot of the ‘one-in, one-out’ returns agreement between the UK and France, which for the first time will see migrants who arrive illegally on small boats returned to France.
An uplift in NCA staff of up to 300 personnel focused on intelligence targeting crime gang members.
New state-of-the-art technology and equipment for the detection and disruption of organised immigration crime, including hi-tech surveillance capabilities, and AI-assisted intelligence and data analysis tools.
Funding to support the implementation of extended police powers to seize and download digital devices to gather evidence and intelligence, announced under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.
Funding for the recently-established Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce, which is driving law enforcement operations targeting the elements of organised immigration crime activity operating out of the UK, from the facilitation of boat crossings to the running of modern slavery networks.
Funding to intensify illegal working enforcement by increasing overtime for ICE teams, enabling more premium-time deployments, funding redeployment of officers to high-risk regions, boosting intelligence generation, and supporting sanctions teams to target non-compliant employers—delivering rapid operational uplift without requiring new permanent staff.
And funding to support a series of interventions upstream as well as intensified efforts in transit countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia to target organised immigration crime, disrupt human trafficking and the supply of dangerous small boat equipment, while also continuing to correct the lies peddled by criminal gangs to would-be migrants.
The investment will also support the new powers that will be introduced when the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill becomes law, which will include the introduction of a UK-wide offence to criminalise the creation and publication of online material that promotes a breach of immigration law, such as the advertisement of small boat crossings on social media.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “For six years, the small boat smuggling gangs were allowed to embed their criminal trade along our coast, and have shown a ruthless ability to adapt their tactics and maximise their profits, no matter how many lives they put at risk. 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.
“In the last twelve months, we have set the foundations for this new and much stronger law enforcement approach – establishing the new Border Security Command, strengthening the National Crime Agency and UK police operations, increasing Immigration Enforcement, introducing new counter terror style powers in our Border Security Bill, and establishing cooperation agreements with Europol and other countries.
“Now 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.
“Alongside our new agreements with France, this will help us drive forward our Plan for Change commitments to protect the UK’s border security and restore order to our immigration system.”
National Crime Agency Director General of Operations Rob Jones said: “The NCA focuses on making the biggest impact on organised crime groups behind these lethal crossings.
“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.”
The NCA has reported that, in the 2024/25 financial year, it achieved 351 NCA-led disruptions of organised immigration crime networks and activity – its highest level on record – and a 40 percent increase on the previous financial year.
That included 56 high-impact NCA-led disruptions, which meant that those particular investigations led to the prosecution and disruption of those directly responsible for committing the crimes, and resulted in a significant and/or long term impact on the capability of the organised crime group involved.
These new measures fall within government’s Plan for Change.
The government says it is ”restoring order to the immigration system, including the introduction of new legislation under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, tougher enforcement powers, ramping up returns to their highest levels for more than half a decade and a major crackdown on illegal working to end the false promise of jobs used by gangs to sell spaces on boats’.
‘It builds on the work this government has already undertaken to restore order to the immigration system, surging enforcement action against illegal migration, with a 50% increase in arrests of those caught working illegally, returning 35,000 people with no right to be in the UK, and imposing tougher sanctions against gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment.‘
Gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment have today been hit with the first ever sanctions targeting irregular migration by the UK
UK sanctions 25 targets at the heart of people-smuggling networks that drive irregular migration to the UK.
Sanctions come on day 1 of the UK’s world-first dedicated sanctions regime targeting irregular migration and organised immigration crime.
Action marks latest step in government’s campaign to secure Britain’s borders and reduce irregular migration, delivering on the Plan for Change.
Gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment have today [July 23] been hit with the first ever sanctions targeting irregular migration by the UK.
Today’s sanctions target individuals and entities involved in people-smuggling and driving irregular migration to the UK, from a small boat supplier in Asia, to informal Hawala money movers in the Middle East, to gang leaders based in the Balkans and North Africa.
They cover a range of different activities from supplying small boats explicitly for smuggling, to sourcing fake passports, middlemen facilitating illicit payments through Hawala, people-smuggling via lorries and small boats, and the gangland leaders themselves.
Sanctions can disrupt the flow of money and materials – including freezing property, bank accounts and other assets – which allow organised criminal gangs to operate this vile trade.
The plans are ‘a key example of the FCDO using innovative foreign policy approaches to deliver on the government’s Plan for Change’.
The regime will be the world’s first dedicated to targeting people-smuggling and organised immigration crime, with the exploitation of vulnerable people by criminals and their associated networks being one of the key drivers of irregular migration to the UK.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “This is a landmark moment in the government’s work to tackle organised immigration crime, reduce irregular migration to the UK and deliver on the Plan for Change.
“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 and making them pay for their actions.
“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.”
Among those sanctioned today is Bledar Lala, an Albanian who is in control of the ‘Belgium operations’ of an organised criminal group which smuggles migrants from Belgium across the English Channel to the United Kingdom.
Sanctions have also been brought against a company in China which has advertised their small boats on an online marketplace explicitly for the purpose of people-smuggling. The boats advertised are of the type used by criminal gangs in which migrants are packed, before being sent across the Channel at huge risk.
The UK is also sanctioning Alen Basil, a former police translator who went on to lead a large smuggling network in Serbia, terrorising refugees, with the aid of corrupt policemen. Basil was subsequently found to be living in a house in Serbia worth more than one million euros, bought with money extorted from countless desperate migrants.
Also sanctioned is Mohammed Tetwani, the self-styled “King of Horgos”, who brutally oversaw a migrant camp in Horgos, Serbia and led the Tetwani people-smuggling gang. Tetwani and his followers are known for their violent treatment of refugees who decline their services or cannot pay for them.
Today’s package also includes individuals like Muhammed Khadir Pirot, a hawala banker involved in informal money transfer networks, which people-smugglers use as a way of taking payment from migrants.
All of those sanctioned today are publicly named and barred from engaging with the UK financial system, helping to further undermine their operations.
NCA Director General Graeme Biggar said: “The NCA is determined to use every tool at our disposal to target, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved in people-smuggling, preventing harm to those they exploit for profit and protecting the UK’s border security.
“These new sanctions powers will complement that NCA activity. We have worked with the FCDO and partners to progress the designation of these sanctioned persons.
“They will give the UK a new way of pursuing, undermining and frustrating the operational capability of a wide range of organised immigration crime networks, including those who facilitate or enable offending.”
Today’s designations are the first made under the UK’s new Global Irregular Migration Sanctions Regime. The regime is a world first and empowers the FCDO to impose sanctions not only on individuals and entities involved in people-smuggling to the UK, but also any financiers and companies found to be enabling their activities.
The FCDO has worked closely with the National Crime Agency and other partners to develop its cases and ensure they complement law enforcement activity.
Today’s announcement is part of the FCDO’s three-pronged ‘disrupt, deter, return’ strategy to tackle irregular migration globally.
In addition to disrupting organised immigration crime networks through sanctions, the FCDO works with source and transit countries to deter would-be migrants from making a dangerous journey in the first place and works with the Home Office to negotiate the return of people who have no right to be here to their countries of origin, including criminals and failed asylum seekers.
Since the election, over 35,000 people have been returned, up 13% on the same period in the year before.
The individuals and entities sanctioned today can be seen below:
Iraqi-linked people-smuggling
Goran Assad Jalal, formed part of an organised crime group which stowed migrants in refrigerated lorries which crossed the English Channel from France to the United Kingdom on at least ten occasions between January and March 2019.
Hemin Ali Salih, helped smuggle migrants into the UK in the backs of lorries.
Dedawan Dazey, a people-smuggler who runs safe houses for migrants in Northern France before they are smuggled to the United Kingdom.
Roman Ranyaye, an Iraqi people-smuggler responsible for the smuggling of migrants from Asia to Europe.
Azad Khoshnaw, for supplying inflatable boats, onboard motors and other maritime equipment for use in people-smuggling of migrants from France to the UK.
Nuzad Khoshnaw, for equipping gangs in Northern France with outboard motors, inflatable boats, and other maritime equipment for use in people-smuggling to the UK.
Nihad Mohsin Xoshnaw, for providing inflatable boats, outboard motors and other maritime equipment used by migrants to cross the English Channel from France.
Hawala Network
Muhammed Khadir Pirot, a hawala banker who controls payments from people being smuggled from the Kurdistan region of Iraq to Europe via Turkey.
Mariwan Jamal, controls money movements through a Hawala banker, which handles payments to people smugglers from migrants in Iraq.
Rafiq Shaqlaway, involved in hawala banking as an advisor to migrants looking to pay smugglers operating routes into Europe via Turkey.
North African gangs operating in the Balkans
Kazawi Gang, a people-smuggling network which controls people-smuggling routes from North Africa into the EU known to deal out harsh punishments to migrants who are unable to pay.
Tetwani Gang, known as one of the Balkan’s most violent people-smuggling gangs, members are reported to hold migrants for ransom and sexually abuse women unable to pay their fees.
Gangland bosses
Bledar Lala, leads a smuggling ring moving people from Belgium across the English Channel to the UK.
Alen Basil, a former police translator who through violence and intimidation became boss of a large people-smuggling network.
Mohammed Tetwani, the head of the ‘Tetwani’ gang and self-styled “King” of Horgos in Serbia.
Yassine Al Maghribi Al-Kasaoui, the boss of the “Kazawi” gang.
Balkan gangs supplying fake passports
Kavač Gang, a Balkan organised crime organisation known to use fake passports to smuggle its gang members between the Balkans and Turkey.
Škaljari Gang, an organised crime organisation in Montenegro that smuggles criminals between the Balkans and Turkey.
Dalibor Ćurlik, procures fake passports and forged documents for use in the Kavač gang’s people-smuggling.
Almir Jahović, member of the Kavač gang, which is involved in supplying fake passports for smuggling gang members across borders
Marko Petrović, a member of the Kavač gang which sources false identification and passports for use in people-smuggling.
Nikola Vein helps the Škaljari Gang secure fake passports and travel documents for use in people smuggling.
Ratko Živković, a Škaljari Gang associate, which gathers fake passports for the purpose of smuggling gang members across borders.
Dejan Pavlović, a member or close associate of the Škaljari Gang, which supports the manufacture of false identities and passports.
The following company based in China has been designated over the manufacture of inflatable boats being advertised for people smuggling.
Weihai Yamar Outdoors Product Co
Background to the Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime
Using the powers conferred by the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act (the Sanctions Act) the Government has laid secondary legislation before Parliament that introduces a new Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime. The Regulations will be debated by both Houses of Parliament when they return from the summer recess in line with the made affirmative procedure.
An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.
Travel ban
A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.
The Prime Minister and Home Secretary gathered leaders from across the world in London yesterday to tackle organised immigration crime
The purpose of the Organised Immigration Crime Summit is to agree new action to tackle organised immigration crime (OIC) and boost border security.
Discussions at day 1 of the summit included:
tackling the supply chains and enablers of OIC
the role of criminal finances in facilitating OIC
the UK’s systems based approach to border security
as well as how countries can tackle organised crime groups’ operations online in relation to the advertising, promoting and facilitating of illegal immigration services.
The UK and allies including France, Iraq, Vietnam and the USA, and partners including the National Crime Agency (NCA) and representatives from social media organisations, met to agree actions to secure our collective borders, protect vulnerable people from exploitation, and tackle the global threat of organised immigration crime.
Unlike previous summits, this event engaged both European nations and key source and transit countries, as well as those that are integral to the supply of equipment, including small boats and engines, ensuring a broader, more comprehensive approach to tackling OIC.
Concrete outcomes have been agreed across Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, and North America to strengthen international partnerships to disrupt OIC networks. This also includes new joint work with France to tackle irregular migration in source and transit countries, through community outreach and bolstering false document detection capabilities to Iraqi officials.
The agreement represents a key step forward in the government’s Plan for Change to deliver on working people’s priorities to restore order to the immigration system and comes after the publication of new figures showing more than 24,000 people with no right to be here have been returned since the election – the highest rate of returns in 8 years.
A communiqué was issued that sets out how we will deepen our collaboration internationally to tackle this vile crime.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Organised immigration crime undermines our security and puts lives at risk. The criminal networks have spread across the globe and no single country can tackle this problem alone.
“Today, at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, the UK has led the way forward by securing international commitments to disrupt and pursue this vile criminal trade in people – part of our Plan for Change to strengthen our borders and keep communities safe.”
Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said: “I have said since I came into my post as Border Security Commander that organised immigration crime requires a coordinated international response to effectively dismantle criminal networks.
“In my role I have seen first-hand how the cruelty and greed of criminal gangs puts the lives of the most vulnerable at risk in dangerous small boat crossings all for financial gain.
“This summit marks a step change in the international community’s approach to tackling the problem, presenting a critical opportunity to strengthen global cooperation, disrupt criminal networks, and prevent further loss of life.”
Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA) Graeme Biggar said: “Criminal gangs are using sophisticated online tactics, the abuse of legitimate goods and services, and illicit financial networks to facilitate dangerous and illegal journeys which put thousands of lives at risk each year and undermine border security.
“Today’s summit sets out international agreements to tackle an international problem. International intelligence sharing and cooperation is absolutely crucial to track criminal activity across borders allowing us to put a stop to these dangerous criminals.”
In addition, today the Home Secretary confirmed over £30 million in funding within the Border Security Command to tackle Organised Immigration Criminal Networks. This significant funding package will be spent on key security projects across Europe, the Western Balkans, Asia and Africa, designed to strengthen border security and combat international criminal smuggling gangs.
The Home Secretary also announced joint work with France to fund an additional grassroots engagement programme to educate local communities on the dangers of irregular migration and people smuggling gangs, raising awareness of the realities and difficulties with travelling to Northern France to cross the Channel to the UK.
This will target both potential irregular migrants and, for the first time, teachers, religious leaders, and family members within vulnerable communities, and builds on the Home Office digital deterrence comms campaign that is already running in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The UK will also collaborate with France to deliver critical training to Iraqi officials and commercial transport staff, helping them detect fraudulent documents and passports used to facilitate irregular migration and OIC activities.
Six men have admitted conspiring to flood Scotland with around £100 million of cocaine smuggled to the UK from South America.
Today, Thursday, 29 August 2024, James Stevenson, 59 (above), David Bilsland, 68, and Paul Bowes, 53, plead guilty to serious organised crime and drug offences following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Gerard Carbin,45, Ryan McPhee, 34, and Lloyd Cross, 32, had plead guilty earlier in the trial.
In September 2020, around a tonne of cocaine with an estimated value of £100 million was discovered, concealed within a consignment of bananas, during a joint operation by Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency (NCA) at Dover.
The seizure of 119 packages of the Class A drugs, which had arrived into the port on a vessel from Ecuador, was made by Organised Crime Partnership officers, assisted by specialist Border Force search teams.
Searches were subsequently carried out at properties in Scotland and England and the accused were identified.
The investigation was closely linked to Operation Venetic – the most significant operation into serious and organised crime involving Police Scotland, the National Crime Agency and police forces across the UK – which has seen hundreds of arrests following the infiltration of an encrypted communications platform used by criminals.
Stevenson had fled the UK and was arrested in February 2022 in the south of The Netherlands by Police Scotland, NCA and international law enforcement officers.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Police Scotland’s Head of Organised Crime said: “The conviction of those men involved in this dangerous organised crime group are testament to the hard work and determination of those who undertook a complex investigation which spanned countries across the world.
“The multi-agency operation, including the National Crime Agency, prevented a massive haul of drugs reaching our communities across Scotland and ruining lives. It also underlines the value of working in partnership with our law enforcement colleagues in this country and abroad.
“Police Scotland officers work tirelessly every day to disrupt the activities of serious organised crime groups who think they are above the law, and in some way untouchable. The guilty pleas tendered today show this not to be the case.”
NCA Regional Head of Investigations Gerry Mclean said: “The drugs trade causes immense damage and devastation, fuelling violence on our streets and the exploitation of young and vulnerable people across the country.
“Following his arrest in 2020, career criminal Stevenson fled the country but continued to direct the importation of cocaine into the UK from abroad, falsely believing he could evade justice.
“His plea today, and the earlier admissions of guilt by five of his co-conspirators, are testament to the dedicated work of NCA officers, our Police Scotland partners and our many law enforcement colleagues right across the globe.
“Together, we are working tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups who supply class A drugs, ensuring that all those involved, wherever they choose to hide, are brought before the courts.”
Another man, Lewis Connor, aged 27 years, was jailed for three years in July this year after the same investigation found encrypted phone messages which proved he had set fire to properties and vehicles across Central Scotland.
The Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland) is a joint Police Scotland and NCA team. Police Scotland and the NCA are partners in Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, which oversees the work being carried out to reduce the harm caused by serious organised crime in Scotland by ensuring all partner bodies work together.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has set out the first steps to establishing a new UK Border Security Command (BSC).
This BSC will strengthen Britain’s border security and smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions out of small boat crossings.
Rapid recruitment for an exceptional leader used to working in complex and challenging environments, for example, at senior levels of policing, intelligence or the military, will kick off today (Monday 8 July), with the new recruit expected to take up their post in the coming weeks.
Reporting directly to the Home Secretary, the Border Security Commander will provide strategic direction to work across agencies, drawing together the work of the National Crime Agency (NCA), intelligence agencies, police, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force, to better protect our borders and go after the smuggling gangs facilitating small boat crossings.
Following the Home Secretary’s instruction, a core team in the Home Office is establishing the remit, governance and strategic direction of the new command. Early legislation is being prepared to introduce new counter terror style powers and stronger measures to tackle organised immigration crime.
She has also commissioned a bespoke investigation from the department and the NCA into the latest routes, methods and tactics used by people smuggling gangs across Europe to inform a major law enforcement drive over the coming months.
The BSC will draw on substantial additional resources, with work to bring in more investigators, experts and analysts to tackle organised immigration crime starting on Monday. A significant number of these will be based across Europe, working with Europol and European police forces to disrupt the activity of the criminal smuggling gangs and ensure those profiting from people smuggling are brought to justice.
In a call to the Director General of the NCA, Graeme Biggar, the Home Secretary stressed the need to break the business model of the criminal smuggling gangs, going after their ability to communicate, move people across Europe and their profit.
The Home Secretary will have further calls this week with European interior ministers and with the Director General of Europol to discuss strengthening security cooperation.
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “Criminal smuggling gangs are making millions out of small boat crossings, undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. We can’t carry on like this. We need to tackle the root of the problem, going after these dangerous criminals and bringing them to justice.
“The Border Security Command will be a major step change in UK enforcement efforts to tackle organised immigration crime, drawing on substantial resource to work across Europe and beyond to disrupt trafficking networks and to coordinate with prosecutors in Europe to deliver justice.
“Work is underway to bring in a Border Security Commander to lead this work – and we will begin recruitment on additional capacity in the National Crime Agency immediately.”
Reports of online child sexual abuse and exploitation in Scotland have increased by 21 per cent, according to new data from Police Scotland.
Between 1 April, 2023 and 31 March, 2024, 2,055 cyber-enabled sexual crimes against children were recorded, an increase of 364 on the previous year. Three offence types accounted for two thirds of this total:
Cause or coerce to see/hear sexual images/content
Communicating indecently with a child
Possession/distribution of indecent images of children.
The scale of online child sexual abuse and exploitation (OCSAE) was highlighted in a recent study by University of Edinburgh’s Childlight initiative. It estimated that 300 million children a year worldwide were victims of online sexual abuse and exploitation.
And the National Crime Agency estimates that 1.3% – 1.6% of adults in the UK pose varying degrees of risk to children.
The scale of the threat is a recognised national risk.
Police Scotland yesterday (1 July) launched its latest #GethelpOrGetCaught campaign to prevent OCSAE, targeting individuals who may already have offended or be at risk of offending.
It signposts them to the Lucy Faithfull Foundation Scotland’s Stop It Now service which offers advice and support to prevent offending.
Detective Chief Superintendent Sam Faulds, head of Public Protection for Police Scotland, which leads on child protection, said: “More of us live our lives online and that is particularly true for children and young people. Cyber-enabled crime is on the rise, and increasingly our investigations are focused online identifying offenders and bringing them to justice.
“During the school summer holidays, many more children will be at home and online.
“We want to reduce risk, to stop young people becoming victims of online child abuse and exploitation.
“Many of our key partners provide advice to young people and their parents about keeping safe online.
“Our role is to target offenders.
“Our prevention campaigns offer them a way to stop, a route out before they offend, before a child becomes their victim, before other lives are damaged.
“We want to prevent children becoming victims of online predators and we will use all means at our disposal to identify offenders.
“Think about it – it might not be a child you are grooming or speaking to online. It might be the police. Take your chance to Get Help or you will Get Caught.”
Stuart Allardyce, director of Lucy Faithfull Foundation Scotland, said: “We have worked with hundreds of individuals who have either been arrested for online offences against children or are concerned about their thoughts or behaviours towards children.
“Through our work, we understand how difficult it is to reach out for help. We also know that those who engage in these behaviours often need support with their mental health and compulsive behaviours, feeling trapped in a cycle of harmful actions.
“The reasons for viewing sexual images of children or online grooming are complex, and many individuals recognise that what they are doing is wrong. Seeking individualised, anonymous, and non-judgmental support is absolutely the right step to take. This can help individuals stop viewing illegal images or engaging in illegal conversations online.
“By making the right choice and getting the support you need, you can move on from offending or potential criminal behaviour and help protect and keep children safe.”
The Police Scotland campaign will run for six weeks across various social media platforms including Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, and Spotify.
Last month, 61-year-old Ian Heddle, was convicted of the serious sexual assault of a child and possession of indecent images of children. Heddle was arrested and charged in Scotland in connection with possessing indecent images of children.
Following enquiries, it was established he had also sexually assaulted a young girl in Thailand. He was subsequently arrested and charged for this offence. The arrest was made under legislation which protects children anywhere in the world from sexual abuse by British nationals.
Earlier this year, serial predator, Benjamin Young, 42, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and has been given an Order of Lifelong Restriction (OLR). Young created and shared images and videos of the sexual abuse of children.
He was identified and investigated by the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit working with international law enforcement partners.
The majority of perpetrators of online sexual abuse are male (90%). Most victims are female (54%).
Rani Govender, NSPCC Regulatory Policy Manager, said: “Online sexual abuse can have a devastating impact on children and young people. This abuse can be prevented, but tech firms have not done enough to build platforms which are safe by design for children.
“These figures demonstrate the increasing scale of the problem in Scotland. We need strong implementation of the Online Safety Act by Ofcom to protect children and young people. It is vital that platforms are held accountable for tackling all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
“Tech firms need to use best practice approaches to prevent, detect and disrupt abuse, including in private messaging.
“It is important that tech companies do not delay action any longer and that they make children and young people’s safety a priority.”
