ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The UK on Wednesday launched a dedicated sanctions regime targeting organized migration crimes, designating 10 Iraqi nationals who are accused of “exploiting and endangering vulnerable people,” including from the Kurdistan Region.

The new regime, titled the Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons (GIM) sanctions, seeks to “disrupt the criminal networks profiting from people smuggling and human trafficking,” according to a statement from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

“The first designations under the regime, announced today, include 10 Iraqi nationals who have been exploiting and endangering vulnerable people, including from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and threatening the security of the UK and the KRI [Kurdistan Region of Iraq],” read the statement from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

The FCDO revealed the names of the 10 sanctioned individuals –all of whom have Kurdish names– which included two smugglers, two accused of equipping the gangs with inflatable boats and equipment, three accused of involvement in hawala (international transfer) banking, and one accused of helping smuggle migrants in the backs of lorries.

“The sanctions aim to cut off the financial flows that support these gangs and prevent them from operating freely. This includes travel bans, asset freezes and restricting access to the UK financial system.”

The British government announced in late November that it had reached a “world-first” security agreement with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, aimed at combating irregular migration and other border security concerns.

“These sanctions are part of a wider effort, in coordination with international partners, including the KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government], to stop this cruel trade and promote regional and international stability,” the FCDO added in its Wednesday statement.

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper met with Iraqi and Kurdistan Region officials during her November trip, signing a landmark joint statement on border security with Baghdad which lays out “the commitments of both countries to work more closely in tackling people smuggling and bolster border security,” according to a statement from the UK Home Office.

As part of the program, Cooper committed to providing up to £300,000 for training Iraqi law enforcement in border security, with a focus on organized migration crime and narcotics.

The Kurdistan Region aims to enhance capabilities relating to irregular migration and border security, including setting up a new taskforce.

Thousands of migrants illegally try to cross the English Channel every year in search of a better life in the UK, with many of them coming from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Over 57 have reportedly lost their lives attempting to cross the Channel in 2024, the deadliest year on record for such crossings.

As part of his government’s plan to tackle illegal migration, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in early April confirmed £75 million in funds to bolster border security.

Updated with names at 11:55