Adverts of migrants’ experiences coming to the UK, such as forced labour and the dangers of crossing the English Channel, have been launched in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) as part of Government efforts to tackle people smugglers.
One video shares an account of a man blurred out with text reading “the boat was too crowded” and “people disappeared into the sea” as it shows another photo of a deflated dinghy in the water.
Another video showing a woman, also unidentifiable, reads “I was promised a well-paid job. Instead I was a slave”.
The digital content shared by the Home Office comes as part of an international campaign to warn those considering coming to the UK about myths and misinformation told by people smugglers online.
It follows a social media campaign discouraging people from making the journey to the UK – which was launched in Vietnam in December and Albania in January.
Border security and asylum minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “Ruthless criminal gangs spread dangerous lies on social media to exploit people for money, and we are exposing them using the real stories of their victims.
“This campaign helps to break the business model of these criminals and protect people from falling victim, securing our borders as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.”
She added too many people have died in the English Channel “at the hands of these criminals”, vowing to bring them to justice.
It comes as 592 migrants made the journey across the busy shipping lane on March 2 in 11 boats – the highest number of arrivals on a single day so far this year.
It takes the total number of arrivals this year to 2,716, according to Home Office data.
Ministers are set to sign a Joint Communique on Tuesday with the Vietnamese government to agree on joint working to allow for faster returns and to disrupt criminal gangs.
Meanwhile, Border Security commander Martin Hewitt also visited Iraq and the KRI last week to progress co-operation to tackle organised immigration crime, the Home Office said.
The Government plans to continue to ramp up international campaigns warning of the dangers and realities of coming to the UK illegally this year.
Mr Hewitt said: “Communications are an important part of this work, and our international campaign is sending a clear message to prospective migrants that these criminals cannot be trusted.”
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is back in Parliament on Tuesday for committee stage to look at the details proposed to be made law.
It aims to introduce a raft of new offences and counter terror-style powers to crack down on people smugglers bringing migrants across the English Channel.
