A crackdown on small boats crossing the Channel is forcing people-smuggling gangs to change tactics — with criminal groups increasingly cramming migrants onto fewer, much larger vessels. A BBC investigation has found smugglers are running short of small boats, while claims suggest more “mega-dinghies” are being prepared. The development has sparked fresh concern among emergency teams on both sides of the Channel because larger boats could put more lives at risk. The alarm was already raised after a 15-metre vessel carrying a record 230 migrants was seen heading towards the UK. The extraordinary sight triggered condemnation from newspapers and politicians, while French police again faced criticism over their response. But the huge vessel also exposed the changing tactics of frustrated smuggling gangs operating along France’s northern coast. The BBC team investigating the trade was attacked with stones, with its cameraman injured during a confrontation. The gangs are now having to adapt as supplies of smaller boats become harder to obtain. Rival criminal groups are reportedly working together, loading more passengers onto fewer vessels in a strategy illustrated by the “mega-dinghy”. Britain and France are responding with plans to increase the number of police officers on the French coast. The latest measures come as Andy Burnham prepares to host French President Emmanuel Macron at Downing Street for the first time since becoming prime minister. The risks are stark. On 4 August, 170 people had to be rescued after their boat caught fire in the middle of the Channel. French officers say they are now intercepting two-thirds of small boats before they reach the coast. That reduction in opportunities has also driven up prices, with gangs now quoting as much as €2,000 (£1,700) per person — compared with around €1,300 only a year ago. Migrants are also being required to pay in cash, apparently to ensure their commitment to the journey. Yet despite the increased risks and higher prices, people continue to wait for their chance. At Gravelines beach, the BBC witnessed a remarkable operation during an early low tide. Around a dozen migrants emerged from the dunes wearing distinctive orange life jackets bought from a local sports shop, before calmly entering the water. Their “taxi boat” had already arrived offshore. Such boats leave from elsewhere along the coastline to avoid detection, and the vessel seen by the BBC had travelled from Belgium. The migrants did not rush because the boat was already in the water. French police argue they cannot intervene once people are in the sea because of fears they could drown, a position that has long frustrated British authorities, who want a more “case-by-case” approach. The group waited patiently, phones wrapped in plastic to protect them from the water. Some said they were from Afghanistan, and those who managed to board appeared visibly elated. Then came an extraordinary sequence of repeated collections. At 09:49 another group entered the water, and an hour later the boat returned to pick up migrants waiting elsewhere along the beach. Over three hours, the vessel made five separate collections. Boarding became increasingly frantic as the window of opportunity narrowed. Finally, at 12:11, the boat headed towards the Channel shipping lane with 82 people aboard. It was dwarfed by passenger ferries as it moved into one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Everyone on that boat eventually reached the UK. Small boats typically radio for help once they enter British waters, because the coastguard is obliged to rescue them and take them ashore. Back on the French beach, the mood was very different. Exhausted migrants who had missed their chance trudged back towards the sand, while a limp toddler was carried towards a police officer, who revived him with a light shake. The scene unfolded alongside holidaymakers and dogwalkers, with several fishermen casting into increasingly choppy water. One woman, watching with her young daughter, described the experience as living in “two parallel worlds” as families played on the beach while others prepared for dangerous crossings. Those left behind now face a much longer wait for their next opportunity. Charity workers say stronger policing means migrants may wait weeks or even months rather than days, while weather conditions must also be favourable. For a small boat, the wind ideally needs to be below 5 knots and waves below 0.8 metres. Migrants are also increasingly sleeping in woods and dunes closer to the beach, rather than larger camps where they can access food, water, medication and places to wash. At Loon-Plage, near Dunkirk, the frustration boiled over. Two young Egyptian men told the BBC they had spent months in squalid conditions and made several failed attempts to cross. “The police stopped us from leaving and destroyed the boats,” one said, explaining that he wanted to reach Britain to work and obtain legal papers. A young Sudanese woman and an Afghan man also said they had attempted crossings dozens of times. But this time, there was a noticeable unease around the camp. Riot police had cleared tents during the same week, while around 400 migrants preparing to use a taxi boat in nearby Hardelot forest had been forced to return the previous day after several fires broke out. The tension erupted when the BBC crew began filming. After agreeing to stop, a smuggler about 5ft 8in tall and wearing a new grey tracksuit tried to grab the camera before repeatedly throwing rocks from close range. One stone struck the cameraman above the eye. The crew was chased back to its car, while the injured cameraman later received several stitches. Britain has praised French police for helping reduce crossings to a six-year low. Officials also point to deeper and more coordinated cooperation between the two countries. But the wider picture remains complicated. Immigration policy, movements of people and weather conditions can all affect the numbers, while thousands are still illegally entering Britain every month on small boats. The incentives for smugglers remain powerful. Even as police pressure cuts opportunities and forces migrants to wait longer, the gangs still see money to be made — and are now adapting their methods accordingly. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3rn93de9eo
