Like terrorism police, officers could get warrants to search suspected people smugglers’ premises and seize items before an offence was committed and apply to courts for early access to financial information on suspects.
“By replicating this power for organised immigration crime, we can ensure that investigators can raid and seize relevant information and property from addresses linked to people smuggling before an offence has taken place,” said a policy document.
Hundreds of police officers will be deployed across Europe to stop people smugglers as part of the new UK Border Security Command.
On Sunday, Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, announced the first steps in setting up the command by kickstarting the search from Monday for a former police, military or intelligence chief to head it.
Neil Basu, a former head of UK counter-terrorism policing, is expected to apply for the job and is likely to be a frontrunner. Mr Basu was overlooked by the previous Government to head the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Metropolitan Police. Another contender could be former soldier David Neal, ex-chief inspector of borders and immigration.
It will also see up to 1,000 extra officers recruited by the NCA, Border Force and MI5 specifically to target smuggling gangs. A “significant number” will be based across Europe working with Europol and European police forces.
The command is modelled on the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) set up by the last Labour Government to overhaul and coordinate the approach to national security.