Small boat smuggling gangs have faced a surge in arrests as they move their operations from France to Belgium to evade increased police patrols. Belgian authorities have responded with a determined crackdown, arresting 40 suspected smugglers and over 360 migrants since January. The shift in tactics comes amid a new Anglo-French agreement aimed at curbing illegal migration, but experts remain skeptical about its long-term effectiveness.
Small boat smuggling gangs operating across the English Channel have faced a significant crackdown as they shift their operations from France to Belgium, according to a report by the Mail on Sunday.
The criminal networks, attempting to evade heightened police patrols on French beaches, have turned to launching 'taxi boats' from West Flanders, a region south-west of Bruges. These vessels transport migrants bound for the UK, with some passengers being picked up from remote coastal areas in the Hauts-de-France region, including Dunkirk and Calais.
However, Belgian authorities have responded with unprecedented vigor, resulting in the arrest of 40 suspected smugglers and over 360 migrants since the beginning of the year. This marks a stark contrast to previous years when French police were less proactive, allowing migrants to wade into the water and board flimsy inflatable boats with minimal interference.
The shift in tactics by the smugglers is largely attributed to the increased presence of French law enforcement, a development the British government credits to its new partnership with Paris aimed at reducing illegal migration. A spokesperson for the Federale Politie noted that in the past two years, the number of small boat launches from Belgium was negligible, ranging between zero and one.
However, in the first four months of 2026 alone, police recorded 27 such attempts, with an additional five failed launches. The spokesperson explained that the surge in activity is directly linked to the enhanced French patrols, stating, 'Organized crime gangs will always try to adapt when their business model is disrupted, and it seems some have adapted by trying to move migrants to the UK from Belgium.
' Belgian authorities have ramped up their own patrols and launched public awareness campaigns encouraging citizens to report suspicious activities. The spokesperson also highlighted the strong intelligence cooperation between Belgian, French, and German police, as well as the UK’s National Crime Agency. Belgium, known for its strict deportation policies, has historically detained around 50% of 'transit-migrants'—those passing through the country en route to other destinations.
In 2020, authorities apprehended 4,238 such individuals, followed by 3,458 in 2021, primarily involving migrants hiding in lorries at ports like Zeebrugge. However, improved port security has led to a dramatic reduction in these numbers, with only 352 arrests in 2025. The shift to small-boat smuggling has seen Belgium arrest 364 migrants so far this year.
Last month, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and her French counterpart, Laurent Nunez, announced a joint statement revealing that 480 cross-Channel smugglers were arrested in 2025. The ministers also unveiled a new three-year Anglo-French agreement aimed at bolstering law enforcement efforts in northern France. The agreement will increase the number of officers deployed to stop illegal crossings by 53%, from 907 this year to 1,392 by 2029.
Additionally, it will fund the deployment of new technologies to reduce the number of small boat departures, particularly 'water taxis.
' Alp Mehmet, a former British diplomat and chairman of Migration Watch UK, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of these measures. He argued that most illegal migrants would avoid crossing the Channel from Belgium due to the greater distances involved and the Belgian coastguard’s readiness to intercept boats. Mehmet suggested that some migrants might attempt to enter the UK by hiding in lorries at ports like Zeebrugge, but the numbers would likely remain low.
He emphasized that the only effective deterrent is the detention of illegal arrivals followed by swift removal
Cross-Channel Smuggling Illegal Migration Belgian Police Crackdown Anglo-French Agreement Small Boat Operations
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