People crossing into the UK are purportedly bringing drugs with them in return for cut price journeys.
Migrants are allegedly smuggling drugs over the Channel (Image: Getty)
Some small boat migrants are smuggling heroin and cocaine over to the UK, an investigation has found. People hoping to reach Britain are being offered cut-price crossings by smugglers from France on the condition that they swallow packages of Class A drugs that are then passed on to gangs in the UK. People are also offered “VIP crossings”, whereby they travel with women and children on boats which are believed to attract less suspicion.
It is believed that the drugs are collected from individuals at migrant hotels. A number of human traffickers are also drug traffickers by trade, it is understood. Heroin flows through the Middle East through Turkey and into Europe, and the UK is said to be the highest demand market for the substances. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said it proved that small boat crossings are a “crime crisis” as well as human issue. “It is disgusting that criminal gangs are using illegal small boat immigrants to smuggle drugs into the UK,” he added.
Chris Philp has said Labour is too ‘weak’ to smash the people smuggling gangs (Image: Getty)
“This route needs to be shut down completely.”
Mr Philp then reiterated in response to The Telegraph’s investigation that the Conservative Party’s plan is to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which it believes would enable the British to deport all illegal arrivals within a week.
Then the crossings will quickly stop, he claimed.
Mr Philp said: “But Labour is too weak to do this.
“They have no control of our borders, and no control of drug smuggling either.”
A Home Office spokesman said it does not recognise the claims.
They added that the Government is “relentless” in tackling the criminal gangs who organise the crossings.
“Every migrant arriving illegally is subject to thorough security checks and searches to ensure no illicit drugs enter the UK,” the spokesperson said.
It comes after France agreed on tactics to intercept small boats in the Channel, according to reports.
Le Monde said at the end of November that the policy change follows a letter sent by the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to French president Emmanuel Macron, urging “it is essential that we deploy tactics this month” and “we have no effective deterrent in the Channel”.
France previously stated that it would review its maritime rules to permit police intervention when boats are in shallow water, rather than requiring them to remain on land.
But the change appeared to have stalled and UK border security commander Martin Hewitt told MPs last month it was “frustrating” it had taken time to bring in the rules.
