People-smuggling gangs are launching small boats from Belgium for the first time, motoring up to four hours in ‘taxi’ operations to collect migrants
People smugglers have adapted their operations to avoid disruption by French police (Image: Getty)
Channel smugglers launch small boats from Belgium for first time as a French crackdown pushes gangs along coast
People-smuggling gangs are launching small boats from Belgium for the first time, driven further along the coastline by intensifying pressure from French police on their traditional departure points.
Vessels are setting off from more than 60 miles from the English coast, motoring along the Belgian and French shorelines for up to four hours in so-called “taxi” operations — collecting migrants waiting in France before making the Channel crossing.
Towns as far afield as De Haan, near Bruges, have been identified as launch sites, according to reported analysis of vessel-tracking data.
Funding deal under pressure
The developments come as Britain attempts to renegotiate its financial arrangement with France for policing the Channel coastline, reports The Times. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood last month signed a two-month extension to a three-year, £475million agreement shortly before it expired. Under the extension, British taxpayers are contributing a further £16.5million to cover the cost of French police patrols targeting illegal migrants.
The Express understands Mahmood is pushing for a new deal containing performance-related clauses that would tie funding directly to the proportion of boats intercepted by French authorities.
Since the original deal was struck in 2023 under the Conservative government, crossings have risen steadily — with 41,472 people arriving on small boats in 2025 alone.
French tactics
French police have reportedly stepped up their response, deploying tear gas, slashing boats on beaches and using drones, light aircraft and patrol vessels to intercept launches. Further south, officers in areas including the tourist town of Le Touquet have resorted to planes and horses to cover challenging coastal terrain.
Last year, Times data showed gangs were already launching as far south as Dieppe and the River Somme estuary — a sign that smugglers have been steadily expanding their operational range under enforcement pressure.
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Belgium in the frame
Frontex, the European border security agency, reportedly confirmed the shift towards Belgium had been observed since late February. A spokesman is understood to have said: “While we do not have precise information on the exact routes or final destinations of all vessels, a limited number of groups have been sighted gathering in coastal areas such as Middelkerke, Nieuwpoort, De Haan and De Panne.
“Available information suggests that these movements are not isolated. In some cases, boats may operate across maritime zones, including entering French territorial waters.
“This indicates that the routes are interconnected rather than vessels strictly departing from a single coastline.”
Vessel-tracking data allegedly shows Belgian law enforcement vessels now patrolling the coast at low speeds, mirroring French coastguard tactics. On April 7, a Belgian vessel followed a small boat from a beach near Nieuwpoort across the border to Dunkirk, where a French patrol vessel appears to have taken over. That day, 137 migrants reached Britain aboard two boats.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are aware of dangerous and illegal small boat launches from Belgium. Through continued shared intelligence and close partnerships with Belgian authorities, numerous others have been successfully prevented to prevent illegal arrivals to the UK.”