People smugglers are still profiting from small boats. Can the UK fix the crisis?
This story was selected and curated by our editorial team in the Europe category. Published on October 11, 2026 • Originally reported by Diane Taylor. OMEGAZEPRIME provides independent news coverage and analysis for our readers. Stay informed with the latest developments.
As ‘one in, one out’ scheme ends, refugees still want to cross the Channel despite French police aggression and hostile welcomes
The smuggler works quickly. Using a small shovel, he digs up a dinghy buried in a sand dune on a beach not far from Boulogne-sur-Mer, assembles it and affixes a motor in record time.
“I never saw anyone work like this,” says Amad, from Iraq, one of a group of about 30 asylum seekers waiting to cross the Channel. “The UK government wants to stop the smugglers, but they are smart. They have plan A, plan B and plan C, so there is always a way for them to get people across this sea. For as long as asylum seekers will pay them, there is too much money involved for them to give up.”
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