EU police given instant access to British motorists' details to sniff out organised criminals

EU police will receive instant access to British motorists' details under a new data-sharing agreement.

The new deal, billed as a means to target organised criminals and migrant smugglers, will also work the other way.

Both British and European officers will be able to check overseas-registered vehicles in seconds rather than days or months.

The Home Office says that in the past, delays have scuppered investigations into criminal gangs involved in smuggling migrants, drugs and weaponry into Britain.

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Under the new deal, officers can carry out number plate checks through the EU's Prum data-sharing framework, rather than having to file requests with individual EU states.

This means they can expect results in around 10 seconds.

Where a match is found, the Prum system provides police vehicle keeper details and more "key information", the Home Office says.

It also flags stolen vehicles.

Inside the EU system, Britain will be better-prepared to handle cross-border crime and identify potential traffickers' vehicles.

Tracking cars earlier will let police identify vehicles repeatedly used in smuggling activity and better understand the supply chains which allow migrant-smuggling networks to function.

The UK is already inside the Prum framework for sharing DNA and fingerprint data with European partners.

Its inclusion in the vehicle system will come online before the second UK-EU Summit in Brussels, currently set for mid-July.

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Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: "This gives British police faster access to vital information and strengthens our work with European partners.

"Officers will be able to quickly link vehicles to suspects, spot stolen or cloned cars, and track the movements of smugglers across borders.

"For criminals, the message is simple: you can’t outrun the law by crossing borders. We will find you and bring you to justice."

Detective Chief Constable Peter Ayling, the national policing lead for international crime at the NPCC, said: "The ability to access keeper details of EU-registered vehicles is a welcome addition to a suite of other capabilities that help the UK tackle international crime.

"Crime is increasingly a global issue, and a swift and effective approach to exchanging information and intelligence with EU partners is critical for public protection."

The APCC's joint leads on serious organised crime, Surrey PCC Lisa Townsend and Cumbria PFCC David Allen said: "Serious organised crime is an increasing and global threat that plays out in communities across our country.

"Too many lives are devastated by the international trade in drugs and weapons, so it is vital police have all available tools to tackle it.

"Quick access to EU data enabling police here to track the transnational movements of those involved in trafficking people, narcotics and lethal weapons into the UK will significantly support law enforcement in the fight against dangerous criminals whose illegal activities blight our local communities."

Britain has collaborated with the EU on vehicle monitoring before.

During Operation Mobile 3, a coordinated two-week effort involving multiple countries, more than 44,000 vehicle checks led to the recovery of over 350 stolen vehicles and 1,000 vehicle parts.

It also helped sniff out 17 suspected migrant smugglers.

Vehicle data-sharing under the Prum system will be trialled with the Police Service of Northern Ireland before rolling out to forces nationwide.

EU law enforcement authorities will be able to request access to DVLA data so criminals fleeing the UK can be identified and brought to justice.

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