Huge breakthrough in small boats battle as Germany scraps post-Brexit loophole
UK ministers have voiced their delight after Germany passed landmark new laws to tackle gangs behind small boat crossings.
New legislation will see criminals who store small boats and engines face 10 years in jail. The breakthrough closes a post-Brexit loophole which left German authorities unable to act against people smugglers transporting people to Britain.
The new law will come into force at the end of the year. Germany’s legislation also strengthens information sharing between the two nations – a move the UK says will bring more people smugglers to justice.
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Anadolu, Anadolu via Getty Images)
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Criminal smuggler gangs operate across borders, so governments and law enforcement need to cooperate across borders to bring them down.
“This major change in German law is the result of our close partnership working to tackle illegal migration and organised immigration crime. We will continue to ramp up our international cooperation to strengthen our own border security. These are the partnerships we build abroad to make us stronger at home.”
And Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Together with our German allies, we are cracking down on the criminal gangs operating the illegal migration trade.” And paying tribute to her German counterpart, Ms Mahmood said: “I thank Minister (Alexander) Dobrindt for Germany’s strong cooperation with the UK in tackling this issue.
“This Government is restoring order at our borders by scaling up removals and removing the incentives that draw people here illegally.”
The legal change will deal with a tricky legal loophole impacting Britain because of Brexit. Under German law, facilitating people smuggling is not illegal because the UK is classed as a third country as it is not in the EU. Smuggling gangs are known to store engines in Germany before they are moved to northern France for dangerous Channel crossings.
Director of Intelligence at the National Crime Agency Adrian Matthews said: “We welcome the legislative change in Germany. It will help boost our efforts against the small boats threat and it builds on our close working relationships with German partners who are key to helping disrupt organised crime groups operating from the continent.”
