UK police to help crackdown on people trafficking gangs in North Africa
The Independent UK police officers are to be tasked with breaking up people-smuggling gangs alongside security forces in North African countries, it has been reported.
The Times newspaper has been told National Crime Agency (NCA) officers would join nations in the region in their efforts to stop the people traffickers.
According to The Times, the Italian Government has predicted up to 400,000 migrants will seek to travel to Europe through Italy this summer.
Record numbers of people crossed the English Channel last year in small boats.
Less than 7,000 have been detected making the journey so far in 2023, according to latest Home Office figures.
The report comes as immigration minister Robert Jenrick travels to North Africa and Europe in the coming week to discuss with international partners the shared global challenge of organised immigration crime.
