Summary
French officials carried out their first water-based operation to stop small boats carrying migrants to the UK. This change in tactics comes after a July 2025 agreement to target "taxi-boats" before they can pick up migrants. The operation occurred on the Aa canal in Gravelines, targeting suspected people-smugglers.
Key Facts
- French officers intercepted a "taxi-boat" on the Aa canal in Gravelines, near the Channel coast.
- This action was part of a new plan agreed upon in July 2025 at a UK summit.
- Previously, French police only intervened on beaches as boats prepared to launch.
- The new approach addresses concerns about the risks of stopping boats at sea.
- "Taxi-boats" travel along the coast to pick up migrants, avoiding detection.
- An official document noted that this method had an 81% success rate in reaching the UK in 2025.
- The number of migrants arriving in the UK from France increased from 36,566 in 2024 to 41,472 last year.
- Saturday's operation involved stopping a boat before it could pick up migrants.
