🔗 Share this article France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel after British demands France has agreed to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom. This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage. French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements. French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians. "It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel." Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives. Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels. This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left government. That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel. Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented. Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances. The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response. Connected Updates Why UK can't just return migrants to France France backing away from commitment to intercept migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security