Mark White exposes 'worrying' small boats trend as migrants transform tactics to reach Britain

On Wednesday, more than 320 illegal migrants made the perilous journey from northern France, just one day after the UK Government signed an emergency extension to its border security deal with Paris.

But, just like Labour's evolving migration policy to "smash the gangs", the people smugglers are coming up with new, innovative methods to carry huge groups of migrants to Britain.

Now, fewer individual boats will be making the crossing but carrying many more illegal migrants over from northern France thanks to much larger vessels being used, Mark revealed.

Reporting from the coast, the GB News editor compared the size of the boats used back before the small boats crisis peaked in 2022 and now.

"Back in 2018, this was a kind of boat that you would often see coming across the English Channel, about two metres long, often stolen from the harbours along the French coast," he said, standing by a standard inflatable black dinghy.

However, today, the boats are "made to measure", Mark said, comparing the size of the new boats to the old.

Comparing it to the methods used today, he said: "This boat here shows the absurdity of the term small boats, because it's anything but.

"It's 10 metres long, maybe a little bit more. And these boats themselves can hold often up to 80 or 90 migrants on that journey across from France."

Inside, the vessels are packed with makeshift life jackets, cut up canisters used to scoop out water if the dinghy becomes filled with water.

"These boats are obviously far from safe," Mark declared.

The Border Security Command's head of engagement with France and Belgium told the People's Channel with many migrants crammed on board, the flimsy vessels can quickly disintegrate.

Head of Overseas Operational Engagement of the Border Security Command Carol Hegginbottom said: "All of this here glue will come off if the seas get too rough.

"People are holding on for dear life. They come apart. The rope comes off. It's extremely dangerous. The floor is unsafe. When it's overfilled, I know that.

"You know, we see something up to 90 people in some of these boats. The floor can just come away."

All of the boats that crossed the Channel are recovered and held for more than a month by the border officials to fully assess and analyse data revealed by the boats.

During this time, border security teams look for anything that could be evidential, valuable, the smallest of clues that can help trace a particular criminal supply line, Mark said.

The border security chief explained her organisation assesses trends, including the types of engines used, serial numbers shown, checking batches of boats which make the crossing.

"And then we put obviously all that back together and share that with our National Crime Agency colleagues who work tirelessly overseas to try and and prevent these engines ever get into the shores of France," Ms Hegginbottom added.

Last week, a joint investigation involving the UK National Crime Agency and overseas partners smashed one particular supply line after a consignment of inner tubes, often used as makeshift life jackets, was intercepted for Syrians and multiple boats and other equipment was seized.

Border Security Command officers have insisted their operations are making a difference, disrupting the smugglers supply lines, Mark said.

The Home and Security Editor reported: "They've noticed a 40 per cent reduction on small boats in the first quarter of this year, and say they are seeing larger numbers of migrants squeezed onto fewer boats.

"We'll have to wait until later in the year to more accurately determine whether this reduction is due to law enforcement activity or a particularly active spell of bad weather in the English Channel."

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