A government official has criticized smugglers for openly promoting illegal small boat crossings to the UK via social media by offering “jet boats.”
Mike Tapp stated that authorities are actively combating trafficking networks, with harsh penalties of up to five years in prison for those advertising on platforms like TikTok. Over 10,000 posts and accounts were taken down by the National Crime Agency (NCA) last year.
According to the Home Office, 80% of individuals arriving in the UK via small boats utilized social media to aid their journey, prompting calls for tech companies to take action. Criminal organizations are flooding platforms with advertisements, as per investigators.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mr. Tapp, conveyed to The Mirror: “We are actively targeting audacious people smugglers who believe they can promote their services on social media platforms without detection – they are gravely mistaken.
“The NCA has made significant progress by cracking down on over 10,000 social media accounts associated with smuggling, dealing a blow to criminal networks. Our upcoming legislation will specifically address smugglers promoting perilous Channel crossings on social media.
“We are enhancing operational capabilities to outpace the smugglers engaging in criminal activities online.” The new nationwide law will criminalize the creation of content that encourages violations of immigration laws.
This encompasses promoting small boat crossings, offering fake documentation services, or guaranteeing illegal employment opportunities. The NCA reported the removal of 10,700 such advertisements in 2025.
Some of these ads were for fraudulent marriage services, counterfeit identity documents, or assistance with bogus asylum claims. Others encouraged small boat journeys, promising the use of “jet boats” to transport individuals to the UK, along with a “taxi service” on the rear of trucks.
These ads were posted in various languages. Mike Hulett, head of the NCA’s Online Communication Centre, stated: “Disrupting the social media presence of these criminal networks is just one tactic we are employing to disrupt their operations, and we are continually expanding our strategies.
“This approach also provides crucial intelligence to identify criminals, with several ongoing investigations initiated through this method. We maintain close collaboration with social media companies to eliminate this content, and our engagement with them has been constructive.
“Nevertheless, there is a clear need for more action to prevent platforms from being utilized to advertise criminal services.”
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