New funding for tech for Border Security Command

The Government has announced up to £75 million of new investment for the Border Security Command.

The funding will be used to deliver cutting-edge new technology, extra officers and further covert capabilities across the system.

As part of the uplift, the National Crime Agency (NCA), the police and other law enforcement agency partners will receive a cash injection to bolster the UK’s border security and disrupt people-smuggling gangs.

It is expected that there will be efforts for more people to cross the channel, while the weather remains fair.

The £75 million is redirected funds that come from the previous government's Illegal Migration Act.

New capabilities will include covert cameras and state of the art monitoring technology, which will enhance evidence collection, speeding up investigations and increasing the likelihood of successful prosecutions.

There will be a new unit to improve intelligence collection across UK police forces and information flows to partners, alongside an uplift in prosecutors working in the Crown Prosecution Service to act on investigations.

New personnel will be recruited for the new Border Security Command, led by Commander Martin Hewitt.

There will also be increased work to tackle organised crime groups facilitating irregular migration upstream by intensifying efforts in transit countries to prevent small boat equipment reaching the French coast.

Home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Criminal gangs are getting away with undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. The Border Security Command will deliver a major overhaul and upgrade in law enforcement against smugglers and trafficking gangs to boost our border security.

"State of the art technology and enhanced intelligence capabilities will ensure we are using every tool at our disposal to dismantle this vile trade.

NCA director general operations Rob Jones said: "I welcome this funding, which will allow us to improve and extend our technology, data exploitation, and capacity-building both internationally and in the UK.

"Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA, we are currently leading around 70 investigations into the gangs or individuals involved in the highest echelons of criminality, and we are devoting more resources to it than ever before.

"We are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle these networks, wherever they operate."