Angelika Hellweger considers the proposal.
The UK government has said it will create a new sanctions regime to tackle people smuggling.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that plans are being drawn up to target and disrupt the finances of organised crime groups who are believed to be orchestrators of illegal migration.
The measures, which the government says will be a world first, will be introduced later this year. They may also be imposed on companies and individuals whose activities help those involved in illegal migration, such as those who manufacture parts for small boats that people smugglers use.
Government sanctions experts will work with law enforcement officials and the Home Office to draft the measures. Legislation will then have to be passed for the measures to become law. Once the measures are passed into law, UK individuals and financial institutions would be banned from conducting any business with those who are designated under the measures.
The proposals are in addition to plans to impose travel and social media bans on people suspected of having links with criminal networks.
Scrutiny
These measures look good at first glance. But they will need to be subject to further scrutiny and, as yet, it remains to be seen whether they are feasible.
It is understandable that the government wants to do something (or at least be seen to be trying to do something) about the issue of illegal migration. This proposed approach does suggest that the government is looking at how to tackle people smuggling from a number of angles. But regardless of this, the hunt to trace and then punish the people smugglers is like looking for a number of well-hidden needles in a very, very large haystack.
In contrast to those who are subject to other sanctioning regimes, smugglers do not necessarily have any relationship with - let alone citizenship in - the UK or the European Union. They are often operating in a low-key manner from far -away places and are much less in the public eye than, for instance, some oligarchs who can be much more easily traced.
People smugglers use unofficial banking systems, such as Hawala, in order to stay under the radar. Those at the top are difficult to trace and pursuing them and their assets could be a complex, multinational exercise which requires effective international cooperation.
It also remains to be seen how much funding and staffing will go into the enforcement of these sanctions; particularly when taking into account the UK’s limited enforcement track record.
If the UK is able to enhance its credibility on enforcement then perhaps it can start to have a significant effect when it comes to this particular problem. But this will be highly dependent on joined-up action, collaboration and consultation in order to ensure the policy is operable from both a private and public sector perspective.
