UK officials have expressed satisfaction following the approval of new laws in Germany that impose 10-year prison sentences on individuals involved in small boat smuggling. The recently passed legislation marks a significant step as it introduces severe penalties for those harboring small boats and engines, effectively closing a loophole that emerged post-Brexit, which previously hindered German authorities from taking action against traffickers transporting migrants to the UK.
Scheduled to take effect by the year’s end, the new law in Germany not only imposes harsher punishments but also enhances information sharing between the two nations. The implementation of this legal framework follows extensive negotiations between the UK and Germany, addressing a legal challenge stemming from Brexit’s implications.
Previously, under German law, aiding individuals in smuggling to the UK was not considered illegal due to the UK’s status as a third country post-EU departure. Notably, smuggling rings were known to store engines in Germany before transferring them to northern France for perilous Channel crossings.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized the necessity of cross-border cooperation to combat criminal smuggling networks, attributing the significant legal amendment in Germany to the collaborative efforts in tackling illegal migration and organized immigration crime. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood echoed the sentiment, underscoring the joint efforts with German counterparts to combat illicit migration activities and eliminate incentives for illegal entry into the UK.
In a diplomatic milestone, in July, Keir Starmer and Chancellor Friedrich Merz signed the Kensington Treaty, signaling enhanced cooperation between the UK and Germany on various fronts, including addressing irregular migration. Notably, a recent joint operation led to the arrest of a suspected high-ranking member of a smuggling syndicate from Syria in Manchester, following a warrant issued by Germany earlier in the year.
Director of Intelligence at the National Crime Agency, Adrian Matthews, lauded the legislative changes in Germany, highlighting their role in bolstering efforts against the small boat threat and reinforcing collaborative measures with German counterparts to disrupt organized crime networks operating from Europe.