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

The United Kingdom has pledged to provide financial support to dismantle transnational scam centres in Southeast Asia as part of a series of commitments to strengthen the global fight against organised crime.

The pledge was contained in the UK’s national statement delivered by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice, Alex Davies-Jones at the United Nations Crime Congress in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Davies-Jones, who is Minister for Victims, Violence Against Women and Girls and International Justice, delivered the speech on Sunday, September 27, 2026.

Published on the Home Office website on Monday, she said the UK would provide financial support between 2026 and 2031 to dismantle scam centres operating across Southeast Asia and strengthen international efforts against fraud.

“With a view to advancing crime prevention and criminal justice, I pledge that, between 2026 and 2031, the UK will:

“Provide financial support to dismantle transnational scam compounds in Southeast Asia and strengthen our collective response to fraud.”

The minister said organised crime was becoming increasingly sophisticated and operating across borders, requiring countries to strengthen cooperation.

“Crime does not respect borders.

“It’s ever more organised…

“Ever more sophisticated.

“So our response has to be every bit as connected, and relentless…

“It has to be built on co-operation, and a determination to act– together,” she said.

The UK government has previously identified scam centres as part of the global fraud threat, with its 2026 Fraud Strategy stating that criminal networks and scam centres operate worldwide and often target people and businesses across borders.

Davies-Jones said the UK was also investing £1.5m in initiatives aimed at countering organised crime.

“The United Kingdom is also committed to UNODC’s Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention…

“And promoting the Organized Crime Strategy Toolkit…

“Supporting thousands of practitioners in 20 countries worldwide.

“And this year, we’re investing £1.5 million more into initiatives to counter organised crime,” she said.

She said the increasing use of digital platforms by criminals had also made access to digital evidence important to serious investigations.

“But these criminals increasingly operate online…

“And today, almost every serious investigation relies on digital evidence.

“So our capabilities also have to keep pace.

“Making sure agencies can access the data that they need to counter serious, organised crime…

“Coupled with the right oversight…

“That is a priority for the UK,” she said.

UK to stop children taking, sharing nude images

Davies-Jones also said the UK would introduce protections on phones and tablets to prevent children from taking, sharing or viewing nude images.

The commitment is part of the UK’s wider efforts to tackle technology-facilitated violence against women and girls.

She said, “With a view to advancing crime prevention and criminal justice, I pledge that, between 2026 and 2031, the UK will:

“Launch a call for evidence on online misogynistic image-based abuse, to identify new harms and how we respond to them.

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“Introduce effective protections on phones and tablets, to stop our children from taking, sharing or viewing nude images, legislating to secure compliance if required.”

The UK government had announced in June that technology companies would be expected to activate or implement measures on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images for children, with legislation planned if companies failed to act.

Davies-Jones said the need for action had grown as more activities moved online.

“That could not be more important than in tackling violence against women and girls.

“At home, the UK has an ambitious goal:

“To halve this violence in a decade.

“But I do not want the fight to stop at our own borders.

“We want women and girls to live free from fear wherever they are in the world…

“And whether they are online, or offline.

“As more of our lives move into a digital space, abuse follows.

“The technology that connects and empowers…

“Also intimidates, and harms,” she said.

The minister also pledged that the UK would continue supporting international efforts to tackle organised crime, build capacity in Ukraine’s justice system and strengthen cooperation to protect survivors who cross borders.

She said the UK would also continue supporting the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention.

On artificial intelligence, Davies-Jones said the technology could improve the justice system but should be deployed with safeguards.

“AI gives us huge opportunities to deliver swifter, faster, fairer justice for the public we serve.

“The UK is pursuing this responsibly, through our AI Action Plan…

“And while keeping public trust, human rights and the rule of law at the heart of everything we do,” she said.

Davies-Jones said international cooperation remained necessary because countries could not tackle organised crime independently.