Man arrested at Belfast airport over illegal immigration enterprise is jailed
Ndricim Qema (30), whose address was given on court papers as Esplanade Hotel, Strand Road, Bray, Co Wicklow, had previously pleaded guilty to four charges of assisting unlawful immigration of non-European nationals.
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Daily Mirror
16 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Home Office ramps up small boats gangs crackdown with £100million cash boost
The cash will also fund a pilot of the 'one-in, one-out' returns deal with France, which will see migrants who arrive illegally in dinghies sent back across the Channel Border security will be beefed up with a £100million boost to crack down on vile people smuggling gangs. The funding will pay for up to 300 additional National Crime Agency officers, new detection technology and equipment to smash the criminal networks bringing desperate people to Britain in small boats. The cash will also fund a pilot of the 'one-in, one-out' returns deal with France, which will see migrants who arrive illegally in dinghies sent back across the Channel for the first time. It comes after Nigel Farage appearances on Sky News sparked thousands of complaints. Overtime will be ramped up for enforcement teams and more funding for interventions across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia to disrupt smuggling routes. Ministers are battling to drive down small boat crossings, which have exceeded 25,000 so far this year - a record for this point in the summer. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "For six years, the small boat smuggling gangs were allowed to embed their criminal trade along our coast, and have shown a ruthless ability to adapt their tactics and maximise their profits, no matter how many lives they put at risk. They must not be allowed to get away with this vile crime. 'That is why this government has developed a serious and comprehensive plan to dismantle their business model, from disrupting their supply chains across the European continent to clamping down on their illegal working operations here in the UK." Ms Cooper will unveil plans in the autumn to overhaul the appeals system to slash the spiralling backlog and reduce the number of asylum seekers in hotels. As of March, there were 50,976 outstanding appeals - nearly double the number in 2024 and seven times higher than in 2023. The Home Secretary wants decisions to be made in weeks rather than months, as the average wait to hear appeals is 54 weeks. She told the Sunday Times: 'We need a major overhaul of the appeal [process] and that's what we are going to do in the autumn … if we speed up the decision-making appeal system and also then keep increasing returns, we hope to be able to make quite a big reduction in the overall numbers in the asylum system, because that is the best way to actually restore order and control.' It comes amid a wave of anti-immigration protests as asylum hotels become a flashpoint for community tensions Demonstrators clashed with police outside a hotel housing migrants in north London on Saturday, while hundreds of people took part in a demo organised by far-right group Britain First in Manchester. On Sunday, the police watchdog warned there is "every possibility" of a repeat of the unrest that broke out last summer in the wake of the Southport murders. His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services Sir Andy Cooke said the "tools that amplified hatred last summer remain largely unchanged and unregulated". He said: "The police service should not be caught off-guard again. There is every possibility that similar violence could reoccur. "Online misinformation continues to spread. Community tensions persist. The tools that amplified hatred last summer remain largely unchanged and unregulated. "The police service must modernise its understanding of how disorder develops and spreads in the digital age."
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
Thomas Partey agrees transfer move to new club after Arsenal exit
Thomas Partey has reached an agreement with his next club after leaving Arsenal as a free agent. The Ghana midfielder ended his five-year spell at the Emirates Stadium at the end of the 2024-25 season. Partey made 167 appearances for the Gunners and almost helped them win the Premier League twice. Mikel Arteta was reportedly keen for Partey to sign a contract extension but a deal could not be reached. The 32-year-old was linked with several European clubs as he contract with Arsenal ran down and Villarreal have won the race to secure his signature. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Spanish outlet AS say Villarreal, who finished fifth in La Liga last season, have agreed a one-year deal with Partey. It is claimed Partey is expected to become a Villarreal player next week after he gave the move the green light. If Partey's move to Villarreal goes through, he will join his former Arsenal teammate Nicolas Pepe at the Spanish club. Shortly after he left Arsenal, Partey was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The offences are reported to have taken place in 2021 and 2022, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. Partey denies the charges and 'welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name', his lawyer said. More Trending Following the charges, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he was '100%' sure the club following the right processes while dealing with the matter. 'The club was very clear in its statement,' Arteta added. 'There are a lot of legal matters that are very complicated so I cannot comment on any of that.' Partey, who joined Arsenal in a £45m move from Atletico Madrid in 2020, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 5. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Man Utd send message to RB Leipzig after Newcastle's transfer offer for Benjamin Sesko MORE: Chelsea agree £20m transfer deal to sell forgotten striker MORE: Ruben Amorim reveals Man Utd's new transfer 'rule' as club identify top target
South Wales Guardian
2 days ago
- South Wales Guardian
Plans for new offence to crack down on promoting Channel crossings online
Ministers are seeking to create a new offence under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill already going through Parliament, to widen its scope to tackle illegal entry to the UK. The offence would also outlaw the promise of illegal working being promoted online and could carry a large fine. It comes as the Government grapples with a record number of migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel. On Wednesday, arrivals passed more than 25,000 for the year so far, a record for this point in the year. Assisting illegal immigration to the UK is already a crime, but officials believe the changes will give more powers to police and other agencies to disrupt criminal gangs. According to analysis by the Home Office, around 80% of migrants arriving to the UK by small boat told officials they used social media during their journey, including to contact agents linked to people smuggling gangs. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'Selling the false promise of a safe journey to the UK and a life in this country – whether on or offline – simply to make money, is nothing short of immoral. 'These criminals have no issue with leading migrants to life-threatening situations using brazen tactics on social media. We are determined to do everything we can to stop them, wherever they operate. The National Crime Agency already works with social media companies to remove posts promoting crossings, with more than 8,000 taken offline in 2024. NCA director general of operations Rob Jones said the proposed new offence will give them more options of how to target gangs and their business models. Previous cases that could have been targeted under the proposed offence include a Preston-based smuggler jailed for 17 years for posting videos of migrants thanking him for his help. Albanian smugglers who used social media to promote £12,000 'package deals' for accommodation and a job in the UK on arrival would also be in scope. The Conservatives said it was 'too little, too late' and that only their proposal to automatically deport people who enter Britain via unauthorised routes can tackle small boat crossings. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'Tinkering at the edges won't fix the problem. 'Labour still has no clear plan to deter illegal entry, no effective enforcement and no strategy to speed up removals. This is a panicked attempt to look tough after months of doing nothing. 'The only clear and enforceable plan is the Conservative Deportation Bill, a no-nonsense strategy that allows us to detain illegal arrivals immediately and remove them without delay. The British public deserve focused action, not more of Labour's dithering.'
