Ban all alternative remittance systems to disrupt small boat smuggling networks — 108 signatures. Status: open.
Introduce a total statutory ban on alternative remittance systems such as the hawala banking system and parallel remittance ledgers. Operating or participating in an informal, trust-based money network must be made a criminal offence to force the closure of shops acting as physical cash hubs.
Channel people-smuggling syndicates rely heavily on informal brokers to act as a trusted escrow mechanism. These operators hold a migrant’s cash in front businesses—like tech repair shops or mini-mart. Current regulations require lengthy financial investigations to prove money laundering before a shop can be shut down. A total ban on these parallel ledgers could help allow the National Crime Agency and Border Security Command to dismantle local cash networks funding small boat logistics.
View this petition on the official UK Parliament website