People smugglers are using the UK as an illicit “back door” to sneak migrants into France and other EU countries.
Immigrants from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia were caught by French border police in Dover, trying to leave Britain to get to France.
The 22 French-speaking migrants tried to pass through the border by hiding in a lorry, the Telegraph has revealed.
They were carrying UK visitor visas, so they could enter as tourists but then try and make a break for France.
The “back door” option through the UK is believed to be a safer choice than a risky journey on boat across the Mediterranean.
The situation is proving difficult for UK border force officials. who don’t know how to deal with the migrants attempting to cross the channel.
“They are getting visitor visas to come to the UK as tourists, but in reality, they don’t want to come here, they want to live in France,” said the border force source.
“They are trying to smuggle themselves out of the UK, but they are getting caught by the French in Dover and handed back to us.
“We then have to figure out what to do because they have valid leave to enter the UK. There is a possibility they are illegal entrants because they came here under false pretences. Last week’s incident was the first time this has happened.”
In the most recent tax year ending in March, the Home Office gave out more than 40,000 visas to Moroccans or Algerians.
The Government Department has confirmed 18,618 migrants have arrived in the UK so far in 2023 after crossing the channel on this new route.
On Monday, over 660 people travelled in 15 different boats to the UK.
This was the third-highest daily total for the year.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that people smugglers are earning double the money they previously made because of this new route.
The smugglers bring immigrants into the UK and then help them cross the channel, charging them twice, the Telegraph has reported.
The service is being advertised by the Albanians as for “people who have problems and want to leave England as soon as possible”.
An undercover reporter who was posing as a migrant who was on the run, that he could escape to Europe that night for £3,000.
https://www.gbnews.com/news/migrant-crisis-france-channel-crossing-eu-uk