People advertising illegal Channel crossings online could face up to five years in prison under a new offence the government plans to introduce.
The offence, which the government is seeking to create under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill currently going through Parliament, would form part of a crackdown on the number of migrants coming to the UK on small boats.
Assisting illegal immigration to the UK is already a crime, but officials believe the offence would give police and other agencies more power to disrupt criminal gangs.
