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International cooperation

New Strategy to Combat People Smuggling Gangs Proposes Alliances and Tech-Powered Offense

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Tony Blair Institute has proposed a new strategy to combat people smuggling gangs, which involves forming an alliance of countries to share intelligence and launch a "tech-powered offensive" against organised crime. This alliance, modelled on the Five Eyes intelligence agency, would target serious organised crime gangs and use artificial intelligence (AI) models to generate multiple "fake" profiles of migrants to garner intelligence on people smugglers' operations. The proposal also includes the expansion of sanctions against people smugglers and the use of AI to map networks, track illicit finance, and intervene quickly.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Tony Blair Institute proposes a new alliance of countries, modelled on the Five Eyes intelligence agency, to share intelligence and launch a "tech-powered offensive" against organised crime.
  • The alliance would target serious organised crime gangs and use artificial intelligence (AI) models to generate multiple "fake" profiles of migrants to garner intelligence on people smugglers' operations.
  • The proposal includes the expansion of sanctions against people smugglers and the use of AI to map networks, track illicit finance, and intervene quickly.
  • Similar tactics have been deployed by private sector fraud investigators, where technology has been used to create "AI grannies", who lure crime gangs into spending time and resources trying to elicit funds online from these fake accounts.
  • Operation Ironside, where the FBI, Dutch and Swedish police developed and distributed a messaging app called ANOM, led to the arrest of more than 800 criminals and the seizure of millions of pounds worth of drugs, weapons, and cash.
  • Alexander Iosad, director of government innovation policy at the Institute, stated that "criminals don't respect borders" and that an alliance of countries is needed to work across them to win.
  • The alliance would also include top-tier countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway.

Statistics:

  • 800+ criminals were arrested as a result of Operation Ironside.
  • Millions of pounds worth of drugs, weapons, and cash were seized during Operation Ironside.
  • The proposed alliance would use AI to "map networks, track illicit finance, and intervene quickly, enhancing disruption without needing to share sensitive personal data across jurisdictions".
  • Two dozen people smugglers have had their assets frozen and access to financial systems, education, and residency blocked through sanctions announced by Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Sources:

  • Blair, T. (2023). Combat people smuggling gangs with alliances and tech-powered offense.
  • Iosad, A. (2023). Director of government innovation policy at the Institute.
  • Kavanagh, S. (2023). Former executive director of police services at Interpol.
  • Lammy, D. (2023). Foreign Secretary.
  • Operation Ironside. (2023). FBI, Dutch and Swedish police.

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