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Anti-smuggling innovation floated to Defence Secretary

In a week that has seen the human cost of people smuggling in the Mediterranean sink to new tragic depths, the UK Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, was briefed about the merits of a British company’s boat stopping system which can quickly stop boats used in human trafficking without harming the boat or its passengers.

Boat Stopping Systems

During a visit to Cardiff, the UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, met with Andrew Howell, the Managing Director of UK-based maritime security and safety specialists, BCB International Ltd, who have developed a new range of life-saving boat stopping systems which use compressed air and interchangeable barrels to project floating entanglement lines and other vessel disabling projectiles.

Following the meeting BCB Boss, Andrew Howell, said: “No one wants a repeat of the recent tragic events in the South Mediterranean. These tragedies have shone a light on the inadequacy of methods currently used to stop non-compliant boats, which usually consists of either ramming a boat or shooting at the engines.  Both of these options present grave and unacceptable dangers to the lives of desperate passengers crammed into overcrowded boats.”

BCB’s boat stopping systems were inspired by the police road stingers used to stop speeding and runaway cars.  Some of the boat stopping systems have been purchased by maritime law enforcement agencies in the United States and in South East Asia.

Mr. Howell went on to explain the merits of including the Boat Stopping Systems in the mix of technologies used by authorities to clamp down on people smuggling:  “Our versatile boat stopping systems will stop large and small vessels.  They are non-lethal, safe and can be deployed quickly.  They could be used by merchant ships or Local navies close to the North African Coast to stop human trafficking at source; thereby preventing the unnecessary loss of life linked with the growing number of attempted perilous sea journeys in the Mediterranean ”.

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