The UK plans to spend an extra 100 million pounds ($133 million) to target people smuggling and implement a migrant-return deal with France, as the Labour government tries to crack down on record levels of irregular migration.

The additional funds will be used for a range of measures including hiring up to 300 National Crime Agency officers and investing in new detection technology and equipment to tackle the criminal gangs smuggling migrants in small boats across the English Channel, the Home Office said on Sunday.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under pressure to deliver on his promise to “smash the gangs” as the number of asylum seekers has touched another record this year. More than 25,400 migrants have crossed the Channel into the UK so far this year, up 50 percent from last year.

Some of the additional funding will help support Starmer’s “one in, one out” migrant-return deal with France where both countries have pledged to return the same number of cross-channel migrants each week, with the UK accepting asylum seekers who have connections to Britain.

The extra cash will also help fund a newly-established taskforce focused on tackling organized immigration crime activity operating out of the UK, as well as supporting the extension of police powers to seize and download digital devices to gather evidence. The government also plans to finance a series of interventions targeting organized crime in transit countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia.

“This additional funding will strengthen every aspect of our plan, and will turbo-charge the ability of our law enforcement agencies to track the gangs and bring them down,” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said.

The 100 million pounds spending pledge comes after the government said it will criminalize social media posts promoting people smuggling services. Last month, Labour announced it will freeze properties and bank accounts of financiers involved in people-smuggling as part of a new sanctions regime.