Vile small boat people smugglers' fortune revealed as criminals make staggering sum
Criminal gangs are raking in millions while putting hundreds of innocent lives at risk.
Vile people-smugglers have made half a billion pounds by ferrying small-boat migrants across the Channel, Labour has claimed.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper accused the Conservative government of failing to stop the crossings and vowed to “smash the criminal gangs” putting lives at risk.
With a record 10,448 individuals crossing the Channel so far this year, Labour analysis has calculated that smuggler gangs have already made more than £62 million in 2024.
The amount charged by criminal gangs is understood to have increased this year from approximately £4,000 per person to £6,000.
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And people smugglers have received an estimated £520 million from migrants since 2018 despite being responsible for a number of deaths, including five in April when an overloaded vessel ran into trouble near Calais.
Ms Cooper said: “Dangerous and violent criminal smuggler boat gangs are getting away with making millions from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. The Tories have allowed these gangs to take hold right along our borders and this year their criminal profits have soared to record levels. This can’t go on.
“Labour will set up a new Border Security Command, with new counter terror powers and up to 1000 additional cross border police, security and intelligence officers to work right across Europe and smash the criminal gangs before boats reach the French coast in the first place. Instead of the gimmicks, we need to get a grip.”
Labour is planning to create a new Border Security Command to secure the nation’s borders - but would axe the Conservative plan to send people who enter the country unlawfully to Rwanda.
