Keir Starmer opened the Organised Immigration Crime summit in London, emphasizing the urgent need for nations to collaboratively address illegal immigration.

The two-day summit will bring together representatives from 40 countries, including France and the US, to discuss joint efforts against people smuggling networks.

Starmer highlighted the importance of international cooperation in tackling the 'vile trade' of human trafficking, which he noted creates divisions among nations.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed this sentiment, stating that illegal immigration is a global challenge with networks operating from northern France to regions like Kurdistan and Kabul.

Ahead of the summit, the UK government announced a £33 million investment aimed at dismantling people-smuggling networks and enhancing prosecutions.

Additionally, £1 million will be allocated to combat people-smuggling operations in Iraq's Kurdistan region, accompanied by an anti-smuggling campaign targeting Vietnamese social media.

The summit comes at a time when the UK has recorded over 6,000 individuals crossing the Channel in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing the previous year's figures.

Despite recent successful arrests of smuggling kingpins, the rise in small boat crossings continues, raising concerns about the influence of criminal gangs.

In response to the ongoing crisis, the UK government plans to expand right-to-work checks to gig economy workers, imposing significant penalties for non-compliance.

Starmer faces pressure from the anti-immigration Reform UK party, which has gained traction in recent elections, prompting a tougher stance on illegal immigration.

The summit follows a commitment from Downing Street to lead an international crackdown on organized immigration crime, marking a significant political focus for the UK government.

Officials anticipate 'concrete outcomes' from the summit that will enhance collaboration among nations to dismantle human smuggling networks targeting the UK and EU.