A government official has criticized smugglers for openly promoting small boat journeys to the UK through social media, offering “jet boats” for transportation. Mike Tapp emphasized that the authorities are actively combating trafficking networks, with offenders potentially facing up to five years in prison for advertising on platforms like TikTok. The National Crime Agency (NCA) removed over 10,000 posts and accounts related to this illegal activity last year.
According to the Home Office, 80% of individuals arriving via small boats utilized social media to coordinate their trips, prompting calls for tech companies to take action. Various social media platforms are inundated with advertisements placed by organized crime syndicates, as highlighted by investigators.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mr. Tapp, stated, “We are aggressively pursuing audacious people smugglers who believe they can promote their services on social media with impunity – they are sorely mistaken.” He commended the NCA for cracking down on thousands of social media accounts associated with smuggling and emphasized the imminent enforcement of a new law targeting smugglers promoting perilous Channel crossings online.
The upcoming legislation will criminalize the creation of content that encourages immigration law violations, encompassing endorsements of small boat journeys, counterfeit document services, and illicit job opportunities. The NCA disclosed that 10,700 such adverts were removed in 2025, including those promoting sham marriages, fake identity papers, and fraudulent asylum assistance, alongside promises of “jet boats” and clandestine lorry services for reaching the UK.
These advertisements were circulated in multiple languages. Mike Hulett, head of the NCA’s Online Communication Centre, stressed the significance of disrupting criminal networks by targeting their social media presence. He underscored the role of such actions in generating vital leads for identifying offenders and initiating investigations. Collaboration with social media firms remains integral to removing illicit content, although there is a recognized need for further measures to prevent platforms from being exploited for criminal purposes.