UK threatens jail for people smugglers who advertise on social media

Migrants walk along the road after attempting to leave the French coast to cross the English Channel to reach Britain, as tougher migration controls were announced, in Wimereux, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) -People smugglers who use social media to promote their services to migrants seeking to enter Britain illegally could face five years in prison under plans announced by the government.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government is under huge political and public pressure to cut the number of migrants arriving illegally in small boats from France. More than 25,000 people have made the crossing so far this year.