ALLEGATIONS of corruption in the Border Force have risen by 60 per cent in just one year, the Sun on Sunday can reveal.
The number of complaints forwarded to the anti-corruption intelligence team increased from 127 in 2022 to 204 last year.
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The 2023 number was the highest since the team was formed in 2018 – when it received 108 complaints.
Stephen Kinnock, the Labor Party’s immigration minister, described the sharp rise as “shocking”.
He said: “Allegations of corruption within our border force are at record levels and this criminality is undermining the hard and dedicated work that officers do every day to keep our nation safe.
“Just last year, the border inspector found that the Government had no control over how to deal with the risk, within Border Force, of rogue staff helping serious criminals, including people smugglers and drug gangs.
“These new statistics prove he’s right – and damn the Government.”
Last year’s complaints included 54 “cross-border conspiracy crimes,” 42 allegations of crime and 44 classified as “local management issues.”
Last year, then border and immigration inspector David Neal said dissatisfaction with pay and conditions had increased the risk of corruption in Border Force.
The most recent internal staff survey indicated a “dissatisfied workforce, which is a breeding ground for insider risk. . . enabled by privileged access”, he warned.
A source close to Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “We want and expect the highest standards from those who keep our border secure. The same goes for Border Force, which is why they have recently encouraged staff to actively raise concerns. These numbers are just these references.
“It is also quite curious that, in a desperate attempt to attack us, Labor is assuming the guilt of the very people on whom they are basing their only idea for combating immigration. An idea that already exists and is working because we created it in December 2022.
“Labour can cast suspicion on the authorities but they cannot be trusted to deal with immigration because they have no plans to do so”
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