Germany to close loophole that let human smugglers stash boats there

10/12/2024 7:29

Germany will close a legal loophole that enabled human traffickers to store the small boats they use to cross the English Channel as part of a broader German-British deal to tackle people-smuggling, the British interior ministry said.



British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, elected to office in July, has prioritised cracking down on illegal migration by combatting gangs of people smugglers. In September he reached a deal with his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, to share intelligence and work more closely together to "smash" the gangs, while his government has more recently reached a security pact with Iraq to target such gangs and strengthen border co-operation.



"Under the plan, Germany confirmed its intention to clarify their law by making it a criminal offence to facilitate the smuggling of migrants to the UK," the British Interior Ministry said in a statement.