Britain to host international summit to combat people-smuggling gangs

The British government is to host the first international summit in the UK on how to tackle people-smuggling gangs.

Ministers and enforcement staff from 40 countries will meet in London on Monday and Tuesday to discuss international co-operation, supply routes, criminal finances and online adverts for dangerous journeys.

Small boat journeys across the English Channel are part of a wider problem of organised immigration crime driving movements to make profit.

More than 8,000 adverts on social media were taken down last year where smugglers were promoting crossings, before moving to encrypted channels.