Gallic shrug from cops as illegal crossings surge

By the Editorial Team · Saturday, August 1, 2026

Senior British Border Force officials have criticized the inconsistent and cautious response of French police amid a record surge of 752 migrants crossing the English Channel in a single day, during which four people died. The growing aggression of smuggling gangs armed with firearms and the absence of specialist French units on the beaches highlight escalating dangers and underline the urgent need for coordinated action to prevent further loss of life.

Senior British Border Force officials have raised concerns about the inconsistent response of French police to the surge in migrant crossings in the English Channel, following the busiest day of the year on Wednesday. On that day, 752 migrants crossed the Channel in nine boats, with four individuals dying overnight during further attempts to make the journey. The incidents highlight the increasing risks associated with these crossings and the growing violence linked to the criminal networks facilitating them.

Border Force sources warned that organized smuggling groups have become more aggressive, citing the recent discovery of an automatic firearm in a migrant camp. According to officials, these weapons are used to maintain control over embarkation points and to enforce protection within the smuggling operations. “There is a regular drumbeat of firearms being found,” one source said, underscoring the heightened security challenges on both sides of the Channel.

One of the fatalities took place on a beach where Border Force observers reported that French gendarmes refrained from intervening as migrants hurriedly boarded an overloaded dinghy. The authorities maintained they lacked permission to enter the water, limiting their actions. Only personnel from elite French units trained in riot and crowd-control tactics are authorized to operate in waterborne situations. Nevertheless, the gendarmes did intervene later that day when a similar vessel became grounded nearby, and in previous instances last year, they entered the water to slash inflatable boat tubes to prevent crossings.

A senior Border Force official described the gendarmes’ approach as cautious and inconsistent. “Land-based officers can’t go into the water because they will be criminally responsible if someone dies … but they will go in and do it depending on the right circumstances. It’s quite frustrating because it’s not consistent,” the official said.

In April, the French government committed to deploying 125 officers from two specialist units to patrol the coastal areas. The Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS) has supplied 50 riot- and crowd-control trained officers, while the newly formed Compagnie de Marche focuses specifically on combating small boat crossings. However, neither unit was present on the beaches during Wednesday’s record crossings. A Home Office source described the absence as “frustrating” and “far from ideal” given the scale of migrant activity.

The total number of migrants who have reached the UK by small boats so far this year stands at 14,128, representing a 44% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. Despite the overall reduction, the crossings remain perilous. On Thursday morning, three women were found unconscious by a French rescue vessel responding to an emergency call from a “taxi boat” off the coast near Dunkirk. Additionally, late on Wednesday, a man in his thirties died after a dinghy capsized during boarding attempts on Hardelot beach, approximately 45 kilometers south of Calais.

The UK Home Office emphasized the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable migrants for financial gain. The department stated it will continue working closely with French authorities and international partners to deter these hazardous journeys and protect lives.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.