France detains 15 suspected Channel smugglers as fishing row with UK deepens
French has detained 15 people of various nationalities suspected of being part of a migrant smuggling ring that helped hundreds of people illegally cross the Channel to the UK.
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The arrests come amidst tensions between Britain and France over migration, as well as an ongoing row over fishing rights in the Channel.
Among those arrested are Iraqi Kurds, Romanians, Pakistanis and Vietnamese, who approached migrants in camps in northern France and encouraged them to cross to England in small boats, for a fee.
Police said the network helped at least 250 people cross to England each month, using small boats that transport up to 60 migrants at a time.
The smugglers, who were arrested last week, accumulated some €3 million in profit from the €6,000 crossing fee.
Britain has been urging tougher action from France to stop a record number of migrants crossing the Channel.
According to French authorities, 31,500 people attempted to leave for Britain since the start of the year and 7,800 people have been rescued at sea, figures which have doubled since August.
According to British authorities, over 25,000 people have arrived illegally across the Channel so far this year, triple the number who arrived last year.
France, UK tensions
The migrant issue has added to tensions between the two countries, notably around fishing rights.
Nearly a year after the UK left the European Union, some 150 French fishing boats are still waiting for licenses to fish in British waters.
France says the UK has not issued enough fishing licenses for its fishermen, as per the Brexit deal, whereas Britain says it has respected the numbers agreed upon.
- France prepares sanctions as fishing dispute with UK deepens
- Ten EU states back France in fishing row with Britain
On Monday, French European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune called on the European Commission to take the issue more seriously.
Discussions in Brussels are being held, said Prime Minister Jean Castex, and “there are evolutions, but I say now that when it comes to licenses, there are still not enough.”
French fishermen say they are preparing a protest action in the coming days, which will “focus on exports” to the UK, said Olivier Leprêtre, president of the Hauts-de-France regional fisher committee.
Fishermen have several times evoked blocking the port of Calais, to disrupt trade with the UK, though Leprêtre said he would not want to affect the French economy.
The goal is to “tell the European Commission to take responsibility” in the negotiations, and to tell British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, ‘now you must do what must be done to respect the deal”.
(with wires)
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