The gangs running small boats into the UK have ‘never had it so good’ – and Brexit has played a large part.
People smugglers claim Brexit ‘has played into their hands’
That’s the view of a self-confessed people smuggler, who spoke to a collective of UK-based journalists about their operations across The Channel this week. A 15-minute video produced by The News Agents has exposed a number of hard truths about the criminal enterprise.
The undercover report reveals that both the French and UK governments are nowhere near breaking the gangs, who have been able to operate with impunity in recent times. In fact, a fractured political landscape has only emboldened them.
Brexit blamed for failure to tackle small boats crisis
Amongst a shocking set of revelations, the investigation finds that attempts to clamp-down on people smuggling have failed. In fact, according to one person running this illicit ring, groups now found themselves ‘in a much stronger position before’.
The report also revealed:
- The anonymous smuggler who was interviewed by TNA said that Brexit ‘made his job easier’.
- Many asylum seekers who make the journey from France to the UK ‘have not even heard’ of the Rwanda plan.
- The gangs who deal in human traffic have been smuggling children ‘as young as one’.
The situation has become rather dire in the UK. Despite cranking up the rhetoric in recent weeks, Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet – and Suella Braverman’s Home Office – have been unable to tackle the small boats crisis.
As it stands, legal asylum routes remain obstructed. Processing the high volume of refugees crossing The Channel has proved to be a difficult task for a government, which is failing to stick to one of its five key pledges.