Open petition: Ban all alternative remittance systems to disrupt small boat smuggling networks

Created by Mark Richardson
Closes on 18 February 2027

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.

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