Verja is gone: Enter Gibraltar’s new high-tech watchmen

Gibraltar’s police force has recently made arrests utilizing cutting-edge technology, including facial-recognition systems and counterfeit passport detection. A Moroccan man, banned from Gibraltar since 2019, was apprehended after being identified by the police’s live facial-recognition system at the frontier area on October 11.

The arrested individual, M.B., was charged with breaching his entry ban under Gibraltar’s Immigration, Asylum and Refugee Act. He faced court on October 13 and remains in prison until his next appearance on October 20.

Separately, a Pakistani national, M. A. H., presented a counterfeit British passport at Gibraltar Airport on October 15. Upon detection by the Gibraltar Borders and Coastguard Agency, he was detained and charged with possessing a forged passport and being in Gibraltar without proper legal status. Similar to the Moroccan man, M. H. also appeared before the Magistrates’ Court and remains in custody until his court hearing on October 23.

These arrests underscore Gibraltar’s continued commitment to enforcing immigration laws, despite the removal of the old border fence. The introduction of the UK-EU arrangements on July 15, 2026, marked the end of the physical Verja barrier, but did not alter the role of police and border officers in identifying suspected lawbreakers. Both arrested men have been charged and are currently in custody, awaiting further court proceedings.