A government official has criticized smugglers who are using social media to openly promote small boat crossings by offering “jet boats” to the UK.
Mike Tapp stated that the authorities are actively combating trafficking gangs, who could soon face up to five years in prison for advertising on platforms such as TikTok. The National Crime Agency (NCA) removed over 10,000 posts and accounts last year.
According to the Home Office, 80% of individuals arriving via small boats utilized social media to facilitate their journeys, prompting calls for technology companies to take action. Criminal organizations are flooding platforms with advertisements, as per investigators.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mr. Tapp, emphasized the government’s efforts against brazen people smugglers who believe they can operate unnoticed on social media platforms. He highlighted the NCA’s crackdown on thousands of social media accounts associated with smuggling and the imminent implementation of a new law targeting smugglers promoting perilous Channel crossings via social media.
The upcoming UK-wide law will criminalize the production of content that encourages immigration law violations, including advocating for small boat crossings, offering fake document services, or promising illegal employment opportunities. The NCA reported the removal of 10,700 such adverts in 2025.
Some ads were promoting fraudulent services like sham marriages, counterfeit identity documents, or assistance with fake asylum claims. Others advertised small boat crossings, including promises of “jet boats” transporting individuals to the UK and offering a “taxi service” inside trucks.
These advertisements were posted in various languages. Mike Hulett, head of the NCA’s Online Communication Centre, highlighted the importance of targeting criminal networks’ social media presence to disrupt their operations and gather intelligence to identify criminals.
Efforts are ongoing to collaborate with social media companies to eliminate such content and prevent platforms from being used to advertise criminal activities further.