British State-of-the-Art Tech: A “Weapon” to Combat Criminal Gangs in the UK and Albania

Introduction

In recent years, the British authorities and the Albanian local media have reported that 45,000 Albanians made their way to the UK through speedboats and ended up working in cannabis-growing houses. To efficiently crack down on the stowaways and drug dealers, UK officials have sponsored Albania with a “sophisticated and advanced” network of cameras.

The functions of the “sophisticated and advanced” network of cameras

The UK-funded cameras installed on the Albania-Kosovo border are worth £1.6 million. The equipment included a fleet of drones and number plate recognition cameras to allow Albanian systems to recognise British vehicles. While it is difficult for police to track migrants who attempt to cross the region via the mountainous areas of Albania, the drones can easily act as a “tracker”.

Moreover, the vehicle cameras will enhance the collaboration between British and Albanian police, allowing for faster searches and sharing of records and information. As a result, the process of identifying suspicious individuals involved in criminal activities and curbing illegal immigration will be enhanced. The Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, Michael Tomlinson, opined that the UK-funded cameras had “great results not just in cutting down on illegal migration to the UK but also in helping to provide opportunities for Albanian people to stay and work in their home country”.

What’s Next?

After the cameras were set up, small boat illegal arrivals to the UK from Albania had been reduced by over 90%, and the number of criminal activities across the UK significantly decreased. This reflects that the deterrence effect of the system on migrants committing crimes across the border and moving to the UK illegally is salient.

Given the cameras available at Albania’s border, it is believed that fewer illegal migrants will steal into the UK in the future. The funding from the UK to Albania in combatting illegal migration should also be considered an exemplary promotion to other countries that are dedicated to combating unlawful migration and criminal activities, which is of paramount importance.

conclusion

Referring to this successful cross-national collaboration in combating criminal gangs, it is foreseeable that other countries currently facing similar issues may follow the application of the high-tech cameras that are deemed an effective way of preventing illegal migrants and criminal gangs.

Furthermore, given the efficacy of the cameras, it is highly likely that other Albanian citizens who originally intended to risk illegally crossing the border into the UK or engaging in criminal activities will be deterred from doing so. Looking forward, this case is not an end but just a start for the two countries’ further in-depth cooperation in combating criminal gangs.  

By Agnes Tsang