French Police Crack Down on Migrant Smuggling Gang
French cops, teaming up with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), have smashed a ruthless migrant smuggling network. The gang was caught in a cross-Channel sting launched last November under the Anglo-French Joint Intelligence Cell (JIC).
Boats Bought, Buried and Used to Ferry Migrants
The criminal crew bought second-hand boats online, then deflated and buried them along beaches in Pas-de-Calais to avoid detection. Each boat could haul 10 to 15 migrants. The gang charged £2,100 to £2,500 a head to cross over to the UK.
They’re linked to at least six Channel crossings, three blocked by French police.
Ten Arrested, Three Held for Organising Smuggling
Last week police swooped on the suspects in the Yvelines region, just west of Paris. Eight were charged with aiding illegal immigration. Three ringleaders remain in custody, suspected of masterminding the smuggling gang.
NCA Head Hails Cross-Border Teamwork
“Operations like these show what working hand in hand with our French counterparts can achieve,” said Miles Bonfield, head of the NCA’s organised immigration crime unit.
“We have officers on the ground in France sharing intelligence every day. These people smugglers are callous, cramming vulnerable migrants into unseaworthy dinghies, endangering lives.”
“Together with French law enforcement, we are determined to smash these gangs.”
The JIC was set up in July 2021 and since then, French police have arrested over 180 suspects linked to migrant smuggling rings.
