Overview

• Representatives from over 40 countries, including the US, France, and Iraq, convene in London for the first international summit on people-smuggling.
• Prime Minister Starmer emphasized treating smuggling gangs as global security threats, akin to terrorism, urging nations to share intelligence and resources.
• The UK announced £33 million to support international efforts, including prosecuting smuggling offenders and disrupting trafficking routes.
• New UK laws will expand right-to-work checks to gig economy workers, with severe penalties for businesses employing illegal workers.
• Social media companies like Meta, X, and TikTok are collaborating with governments to address online promotion of smuggling activities.