Britain’s Prime Minister has vowed to “stamp out” the “vile trade” of human trafficking as the country hosts its first Interpol conference in 50 years.
Keir Starmer said he would use all his skills as a lawyer as well as greater co-operation with European countries to stop the trade, which causes many deaths each year as thousands of migrants attempt illegal crossings of the English Channel.
At the opening of the Interpol general assembly in Glasgow on Monday, Mr Starmer outlined how criminal operations run “from the money markets in Kabul through to the Kurdish region of Iraq”, across Europe and into Britain.
The 'Jungle' migrant camp in Calais – in pictures
“The world needs to wake up to the severity of this challenge,” he will say. “I was elected to deliver security for the British people and strong borders are a part of that. This is a vile trade that must be stamped out wherever it thrives”.
Mr Starmer will make it his “personal mission” to “smash” the gangs by resetting Britain’s approach while intensifying international collaboration to meet the global scale of the threat, Downing Street said. He announced that the new Border Security Command (BSC) would take a counter-terrorism approach to people smuggling and “apply it to the gangs”.
“We’re ending the fragmentation between policing, Border Force and our intelligence agencies,” he added. Britain is investing £150 million for specialist investigators and state of the art surveillance equipment to trap criminals.
Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, said the cash will provide a “huge step change” in the way it targets criminal gangs. “Traffickers operate in networks across borders, that’s why we have launched a major boost to our co-operation with international partners including other European countries,” she added. “Criminal smuggler gangs profit from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk and they have been getting away with it for far too long.”
Mr Starmer will also announce that more intelligence will be shared with other international agencies including Europol. The BSC will have 300 staff to tackle the boat crossings and other smuggling as well as 100 specialist investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA) dedicated to tackling criminals who facilitate people smuggling.
“Distance, borders and languages are meaningless to criminals,” said Graeme Biggar, director general of the NCA. “This is why collaborations with Interpol have never been as important as they are today.”
He promised to work with social media companies to remove harmful content promoting illegal migration services or advertising fake job opportunities. The BSC will also co-ordinate the work of intelligence agencies and law enforcement.
Interpol’s general assembly is the crime agency’s supreme governing body and includes senior ministerial and policing officials from the organisation’s 196 member states.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
SERIES SCHEDULE
First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
Match info
Costa Rica 0
Serbia 1
Kolarov (56')
The five pillars of Islam
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
The%20Woman%20King%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Gina%20Prince-Bythewood%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Thuso%20Mbedu%2C%20Sheila%20Atim%2C%20Lashana%20Lynch%2C%20John%20Boyega%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
