People smugglers who create hidden compartments in vehicles will face up to five years in prison under a major new law designed to strengthen the UK's borders.
New Offence Targets 'Sickening' Smuggling Tactics
The legislation, which is expected to receive Royal Assent this week, will make it a criminal offence to create concealed spaces specifically for the purpose of smuggling people, drugs, or weapons. Border Security Minister Alex Norris condemned the methods used by trafficking gangs as "utterly sickening", citing examples of migrants being found in cramped boxes behind dashboards and in vans.
Currently, the act of creating such a concealment is not itself a crime, only the subsequent smuggling. The new law, part of the wider Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, closes this loophole. It will criminalise the import, manufacture, or supply of compartments used to modify vehicles for serious organised crime.
Recent Cases Highlight Deadly Risks
The Home Office pointed to several recent prosecutions that demonstrated the urgent need for the legal change. In June 2025, eight criminals were handed a combined 20-year sentence after a Vietnamese woman was discovered in a dangerous, hidden space behind a car's dashboard.
In another "harrowing" incident in September 2024, a smuggler was jailed for 10 years after seven people were found concealed behind a fitted panel in a van. Border Force officers were alerted to their presence only after hearing their screams.
Broader Crackdown on Crime Tools
The new powers extend beyond vehicle modifications. The law will also make it an offence to possess or supply templates for manufacturing specific tools used in other serious crimes. This includes:
- 3D-printed firearms components.
- Pill press machines used to produce drugs like MDMA.
- Pill encapsulators.
Official figures reveal the scale of the issue: between 2020 and 2023, authorities seized over 430 vehicles with concealments, with approximately 150 of those intercepted directly at the border.
Minister Alex Norris stated: "We are giving law enforcement stronger tools than ever before to intercept illegal migrants and shut down the criminal gangs exploiting them." The move signifies a significant hardening of the UK's approach to tackling sophisticated smuggling operations that endanger lives and fuel organised crime.
