LONDON (dpa-AFX) - UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has set out the first steps towards establishing a new Border Security Command.
This will strengthen Britain's border security and smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions out of small boat crossings, the Home Office said in a statement.
A Border Security Commander will be appointed shortly to head the new wing.
The new appointee will provide strategic direction to work across agencies, drawing together the work of the National Crime Agency (NCA), intelligence agencies, police, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force, to better protect the nation's borders and go after the smuggling gangs facilitating small boat crossings.
Following the Home Secretary's instruction, a core team in the Home Office is establishing the remit, governance and strategic direction of the new command.
The Home Office said a legislation is being prepared to introduce new anti-terror style powers and stronger measures to tackle organised immigration crime.
Cooper has also commissioned an investigation from the department and the NCA into the latest routes, methods and tactics used by people smuggling gangs across Europe to inform a major law enforcement drive over the coming months.
The BSC will deploy more investigators, experts and analysts to tackle organised immigration crime starting on Monday. A significant number of these will be based across Europe, working with Europol and European police forces to disrupt the activity of the criminal smuggling gangs.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said, 'Criminal smuggling gangs are making millions out of small boat crossings, undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. We can't carry on like this. We need to tackle the root of the problem, going after these dangerous criminals and bringing them to justice.'
She will have calls this week with European interior ministers and with the Director General of Europol to discuss strengthening security cooperation, the Home Office said.
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