Criminals who smuggle people into Britain for forced labour will face tougher penalties, British cabinet ministers confirmed today.
They unveiled plans to strengthen the law so that people-traffickers face up to 14 years in jail for bringing illegal immigrants into Britain to work under duress.
Home Office minister Ms Beverley Hughes also revealed funding will treble to £60 million sterling to disrupt people-trafficking and seize the profits.
"The hard work of those on the ground has put 16 major facilitators operating in the UK behind bars in the last six months alone," she said.
"It is big business, it affects communities around the UK and the criminals trading in human beings are often also trading in guns, drugs and prostitution."
In the last six months, a multi-agency task force, called Reflex, has disrupted 20 criminal gangs. The new cash will help establish a financial crime unit within Reflex to seize money made by the gangs.
Reflex was set up in May 2000 to bring together the National Crime Squad, Immigration Service, police, National Criminal Intelligence Service and the Crown Prosecution Service.