A new, specialist taskforce has been assembled to support law enforcement and bolster their response to tackling people smuggling into the UK, perpetrated by immigration crime gangs. Led by Deputy Chief Constable, Wendy Gunney, National Lead for Serious Organised Crime at the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce will take accountability for police forces performing at the highest level to double down on crime at the UK’s borders to protect national security.
The creation of this taskforce follows an inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), commissioned in January 2024, which set out 10 urgent recommendations for “coordinated action” against UK-based smuggling gangs.
This initiative reinforces the UK’s strategic commitment to border security by ensuring police forces across the country work in close partnership with the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement, and Border Force. The role of border control officers and police presences dwindled so equipping them with the full use of technology should “significantly reduce investigation time and make accurate, data-backed decisions quickly to ensure border operations remain efficient and secure.”
Wendy Gunney, Deputy Chief Constable, commented that the Organised Immigration Crime DomesticTaskforce will create “well-established” partnerships with other national law enforcement agencies focused on enhancing intelligence sharing and coordinated operations that will allow police to harness every available technology to disrupt and dismantle organised criminal networks threatening the UK’s immigration system. High-grade, AI-powered technologies are now readily available to the travel sector and will fortify security in decades to come.
John Lucey VP EMEA at Cellebrite, commented: “From human trafficking to narcotics smuggling, today’s border threats are growing increasingly complex, so the launch of a new task force to support police response is a positive development”.
“Technology will play a crucial role in the success of the taskforce, with AI-powered digital forensic and investigative solutions possessing the ability to greatly improve detection and response while ensuring lawful access. Mobile devices, for example, are typically the most revealing piece of evidence, with over half of prosecutors labelling digital evidence as more important than DNA.”
