French Police Block 185 Small Boat Channel Crossings Under New UK Deal

French police intercepted 185 small boats during the first three months of a new agreement with the UK, according to figures released by Britain’s Home Office. The joint efforts involved stopping launches, seizing equipment such as boats, engines, and lifejackets, and arresting people smugglers.

Under a three-year agreement signed in April, the UK agreed to pay France £660 million ($891 million) to combat people smuggling, introducing a results-based payment model for the first time. Footage released by the Home Office shows French police officers driving Jeeps across a beach to prevent migrants from launching a boat. During the confrontation, some migrants threw objects and taunted officers, with one officer appearing to deploy pepper spray before authorities dispersed the crowd and slashed the rubber hull.

Data from French authorities indicates that 185 small boat events involving 4,300 migrants were prevented between April 27 and August 2. This period included four weeks where French authorities successfully intercepted every potential illegal Channel crossing.

The Home Office reported that 61 per cent of all small boat events were stopped over the three-month period, though this represented a prevention rate increase of just 5 per cent compared to the same timeframe in 2025. Charlie Eastaugh, director of maritime and small boats at Border Security Command, stated that the UK and France are increasing pressure on criminal gangs to stop dangerous crossings.

“French officers are not shy in taking bold action to prevent these launches where it is safe and lawful to do so,” Eastaugh said, noting that they work in difficult conditions to save lives at sea and dismantle smuggling operations.

French operations have also included boarding 12 taxi boats operated by human-trafficking gangs along the coast. Meanwhile, official figures show that 15,897 illegal migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats this year, marking a roughly 40 per cent annual decrease.

However, smugglers have adapted their tactics by overcrowding vessels, such as a recent instance involving 230 migrants on a mega dinghy. The ongoing crossings remain a significant political issue in the UK, with the Reform UK party proposing to intercept boats and return migrants to French ports regardless of official agreement.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasized the impact of the partnership, stating that the UK and France have halted more than 47,000 crossing attempts since the Labour government took power in July 2024.