British-funded French police have been caught on camera watching as migrants board small boats to illegally cross the English Channel, in a revelation that challenges the effectiveness of substantial investments made to curb this issue.

Evidence shows that despite a £500 million investment from the UK government over three years, aimed at assisting France in preventing these crossings, French officers are seemingly allowing migrants to pass unimpeded.

At a well-known launching point near Dunkirk, our team witnessed more than 50 migrants boarding a dinghy directly in front of French officers, who made no effort to intervene. This incident occurred despite the deployment of surveillance equipment, including drones, funded by the UK.

The boat, already en route to the UK, made a bold U-turn to pick up additional passengers near the French coast, demonstrating a brazen disregard for police presence.

As the overloaded dinghy ventured into the Channel, it carried approximately 100 individuals, including children, highlighting the perilous conditions migrants endure in pursuit of crossing.

The UK Border Force intervened, dispatching a vessel to pick up the stranded migrants and bring them to Dover for processing.

This evidence underscores the challenges faced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge to ‘stop the boats’ and raises questions about the French government’s commitment to the multi-million-pound agreement funded by the UK.

Despite efforts to intercept migrants, evidenced by the interception of over 600 individuals on the day of filming, smuggling networks persist, exploiting vulnerable individuals seeking refuge in the UK.

Smugglers have adapted their tactics, launching boats from canals in northern France to evade detection. However, this approach poses additional dangers, as illustrated by a sinking boat incident where 40 individuals became trapped in the muddy banks of a canal, requiring rescue.

Among those attempting the perilous journey are Vietnamese migrants, driven by desperation to escape exploitation and violence back home.

Despite targeted social media campaigns aimed at deterring illegal migration, such efforts have failed to dissuade individuals from embarking on the treacherous journey.

Smuggling networks have capitalized on social media platforms, recruiting ‘influencers’ to glamorize the journey and entice others to join.

In response, the UK government has reiterated its commitment to addressing the issue, emphasizing collaboration with French authorities and targeted campaigns to dissuade illegal migration.

However, as evidenced by the continued flow of migrants, the battle to stem the tide of illegal crossings remains ongoing, underscoring the complexity of the challenge and the resilience of smuggling networks.