The National Crime Agency has led a huge increase in the number of takedowns of social media posts, pages and accounts advertising the services of people smugglers, thanks to a partnership with four major social media companies.

By the end of June 2024 almost 12,000 had been removed, disrupting  the organised criminal networks who use social media to advertise their services and recruit migrants.

The NCA launched its social media action plan with Meta, X (formerly known as Twitter), TikTok and YouTube in December 2021, to help build understanding of how organised criminals used their platforms to advertise illegal services and limit the gangs ability to exploit victims and plan dangerous illegal crossings.

By April 2023 this had resulted in around 3,300 posts, pages or accounts (pictured) being removed or suspended.

In the last year the NCA has worked more closely with platforms to increase intelligence flows and target the gangs involved, resulting in almost 9,000 more being removed  a major increase on previous years.

Officers continue to work with partners to identify accounts that promote criminality, and take action against those using them.

In April 2024 the NCA arrested three UK-based individuals suspected of using social media to promote illegal immigration. The Vietnamese nationals were suspected of advertising crossings on social media. They were later charged and are due in court again on 2 August.
 
In May an Iraqi national was arrested by the NCA, also suspected of promoting crossings using social media. He was charged and is due in court on 9 September.
 
NCA's Organised Immigration Crime Threat Lead, Dan Barcroft, said: "Social media is key to how these organised crime groups operate, so these takedowns have a direct effect on disrupting their operations and criminal activity.
 
"We have seen instances of them having to change their tactics as a result, and the last few months have seen us take direct action against individuals suspected of posting this type of material.
 
"Tackling people smuggling is a priority for the NCA, and we are looking to disrupt the criminal's  business models in any way we can. This work is one example of that in action.
 
"The NCA has developed a strong partnership with the four social media companies, and we will continue to work with them to  prevent organised crime groups utilising their platforms."
 
Home Office Minister of State, Dame Angela Eagle, said: "This work is immensely important, and we will do everything in our power to crack down on the criminals who brazenly promote their people-smuggling businesses online and use social media to profit from human misery.
 
"Protecting our borders has never been more crucial. Together, we will take the action needed to address irregular migration at its source, dismantle the gangs and stop them from putting vulnerable people's lives at risk."
 
The social media action plan was implemented to bring greater collaboration against those crime groups using social media to recruit, communicate and advertise a range of illegal services.
 
It sees a greater shared understanding of the threat from organised immigration crime between social media companies and the NCA, such as through the issuing of intelligence-based alerts by the NCA, as well as a more streamlined, two-way system of communication.
 
The NCA continues to use the full suite of powers at our disposal to disrupt organised immigration crime networks, through targeting their social media offerings, financial flows and their supply routes for boats, engines and maritime equipment. Working with overseas partners, we have supported seizure of over 350 boats and engines.

Pictured: Social media advertisement which has been removed

24 July 2024