France announces crackdown on human traffickers, dismantles migrant camp

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - A day after the UK and France struck an agreement amid allegations that Paris was not taking enough action to prevent illegal Channel crossings, France on Tuesday announced a crackdown on human traffickers and dismantling of an unauthorized migrant camp from the areas along the shoreline.

Providing details of the operation on Twitter, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 13 people that were part of a network in Dunkirk smuggling migrants on small boats were arrested. Another 35 people “presumed to be smugglers or engaged in criminal activities” with the migrants were also detained in the Grande-Synthe commune in Calais. Since Jan. 1, some 308 such smugglers have been arrested, Darmanin said.

“These smugglers are criminals who exploit human misery, responsible for irregular immigration,” his tweet read.

Darmanin and his British counterpart Priti Patel held virtual talks on the issue of a small craft crossing the Channel on Monday and agreed to strengthen operational cooperation to prevent migrants from breaching the waters illegally.

Prior to the meeting, Darmanin had slammed the UK authorities for using France as a “punching bag” and blamed the unregulated British labor market for absorbing irregular migrants as a responsible factor for encouraging illegal immigration.

The dangerous crossings that refugees undertake from the French coast hoping to enter Britain and claim asylum has been a source of tension between the two neighboring countries. Britain accuses France of inaction against the migrants who camp across the cities of the shoreline adjoining the international border and allowing them to leave the territory on small boats.

The UK’s Home Office estimates more than 22,000 migrants have landed on its shores after sailing from northern France. At least four migrants are believed to have died and several missing in the perilous sea journey.

The French minister also declared that on his orders, one of the largest migrant camps in Grande-Synthe was dismantled. Police took action on two sites where migrants had camped. Around 1,500 people lived in the camp located on a former industrial wasteland, according to the Office of the Mayor of Grande-Synthe, Martial Beyaert, a report by French news outlet franceinfo said.

A press statement from the Prefect's office said 663 people were evacuated from the site and accommodated in government shelters from where they can apply for asylum in France, or be assisted to return to their country of origin.

Since January, around 6,170 people, including 2,832 in family, 49 isolated women, and 59 unaccompanied minors that were camping on the coast, have been provided assistance in shelters by the Department of the North, the statement added.