UK pledges funds to tackle Asia scam centres, protect children online

The United Kingdom has pledged financial support to dismantle scam centers in Southeast Asia and strengthen the fight against organised crime, according to the UK's national statement delivered by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Alex Davies-Jones. Davies-Jones made the pledge during the United Nations Crime Congress in Abu Dhabi, emphasizing that the UK will provide financial support between 2026 and 2031 to dismantle transnational scam compounds in Southeast Asia and strengthen the collective response to fraud.

She stated that organised crime is increasingly sophisticated and operates across borders, necessitating strengthened international cooperation. The UK is also investing £1.5 million in initiatives to counter organised crime and support the UN Office on Drugs and Crime's Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention.

Additionally, the UK will introduce protections on phones and tablets to prevent children from taking, sharing, or viewing nude images as part of its broader efforts to tackle technology-facilitated violence against women and girls.