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  "path": "/news/migrant-crisis-people-smugglers-boats-labour-french-deal",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-25T17:37:57.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Labour accused of audacious plot to create ‘migrant cities’ and flood towns with asylum seekers",
    "Labour 'told to stop hiding' full cost of 'failed' migrant deal after rejecting GB News request",
    "Ex-Border Force boss demands investigation after three asylum seekers found guilty of rape",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nMigrant boats have been launched into the English Channel just 48 hours after the signing of a new £662million Anglo-French security deal, GB News can reveal.\n\nIn an apparent effort to evade French law enforcement, criminal gangs launched boats some 70 miles south of the area around Dunkirk, where the bulk of migrant activity has taken place in recent months.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIt is yet another shift in tactics by the people smugglers as they attempt to outsmart beach patrols.\n\nExactly a week ago, more than 250 migrants left beaches along the Belgian coast\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIt was the biggest single day of illegal migrant activity on Belgium's beaches since the small boats crisis began.\n\nA week on, that activity has shifted much further south, as the gangs and their migrant passengers continue to play cat and mouse with authorities.\n\nJust after 9am today, a migrant boat was spotted leaving a beach near Hardelot, south of Boulogne-sur-Mer.\n\nGangs have used these more southerly beaches in the past but prefer to launch from areas around Calais and Dunkirk, as the distance to UK waters is at its shortest.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe further south they launch, the more time boats are in the water, and the more dangerous the crossings are.\n\nFive hours after it launched, the first migrant boat made it to UK waters and was intercepted by the Border Force vessel Defender.\n\nAfter the Defender arrived at Dover harbour, GB News counted 50 migrants as they were led to the nearby Border Force processing centre.\n\nA number of other launches were attempted but failed on Saturday.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Labour accused of audacious plot to create ‘migrant cities’ and flood towns with asylum seekers\n  * Labour 'told to stop hiding' full cost of 'failed' migrant deal after rejecting GB News request\n  * Ex-Border Force boss demands investigation after three asylum seekers found guilty of rape\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nBy late afternoon, another migrant boat was spotted after successfully launching from the same area south of Boulogne.\n\nThe French patrol ship Abeille Normandie is shadowing the dinghy as it makes its way across the Channel.\n\nThe Border Force vessel Volunteer has been dispatched to pick up the illegal migrants onboard when they cross the line into UK waters.\n\nOn Thursday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was in France to sign the latest controversial deal to give the French hundreds of millions of pounds to boost their border security.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nAfter the previous £500 million three-year deal, the UK Government will now give the French an additional £662million over the next three years.\n\nMs Mahmood insisted the agreement was a good deal for the UK and would make a positive impact in tackling the smugglers.\n\nThe number of French border police will increase from 700 to 1,100.\n\nNew equipment, including drones and a specialist boat to tackle so-called migrant taxi boats, will also be provided.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Home Secretary told GB News there was \"no one silver bullet that can end this crisis\".\n\nHowever, Ms Mahmood said she was confident the extra security resources on French beaches will impact the activities of the criminal gangs.\n\nReform UK continues to voice its opposition to handing France more money to curb Channel crossings.\n\nZia Yusuf, who was appointed as Reform UK's home affairs spokesman earlier this year, said: \"Reform UK would demand a refund, and detain and deport all illegal arrivals.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "People smugglers launch migrant boats into Channel just 48 hours after Labour confirmed £662m French deal"
}