UK sanctions Balkan people-smuggling gangs ahead of summit in London

Britain on Wednesday sanctioned what it said were Balkan-based criminal gangs producing forged documents used in human trafficking, and several others involved in financing such illegal migration.

"There’s a criminal route through the Western Balkans bringing illegal migrants to the UK, and we’re determined to shut it down by working with European partners," deeply unpopular Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement ahead of a summit in London with leaders from western Balkan states.