Migrant smugglers launching boats from Belgium will face ‘intensified law enforcement action’ under a new UK-Belgium agreement.

The UK-Belgium Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement (LECA) will allow police officers in both countries to exchange intelligence autonomously, to help identify and dismantle organised criminal networks, including ones involved in migrant smuggling.

Before the new LECA initiative, certain information exchanges required legal approval which created delays in investigations into criminal activity, but the new system will allow faster information exchange.

Shabana Mahmood, Home Secretary for the UK said that the migrant smuggling trade ‘doesn’t start and stop on the beaches of northern France, we’ll work with every international partner available to shut them down.’

The UK Government has claimed that joint enforcement activity between the UK and Belgium has thus far delivered 50 arrests linked to migrant smuggling.

In the year ending March 2026, there were 43,806 detected arrivals through illegal routes, 90% of which were by small boats, according to the UK Government.