Overview
- NCA director general Graeme Biggar says the US‑Israeli war on Iran is likely to spur more unlawful journeys to the UK, with some additional small‑boat crossings.
- Small‑boat arrivals increased 13% in 2025 to 45,774, with most people arriving from the Horn of Africa rather than previous peaks from Albania or Vietnam.
- Tackling people‑smuggling makes up about a quarter of NCA operations, with 533 boats or engines seized last year and key suppliers arrested with European partners, including one jailed for 11 years in January.
- Synthetic opioids, particularly nitazenes, are assessed as the biggest drug threat, linked to about 1,000 UK deaths since mid‑2023, with 359 recorded in 2025 versus 435 in 2024, though testing limitations may undercount.
- The NCA says technology is reshaping crime, pointing to recent cyber attacks on major UK organisations, and the government pledges tougher port controls and stepped‑up international action against gangs.