France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police representative states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.
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