The UK is giving France more money in an attempt to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel. But will it make a difference?
Under the new agreement, the UK will pay France £63m – up from £55m last year – to patrol its coastline on the lookout for people-smuggling gangs.
That extra £8m will see the number of officers patrolling France’s beaches go from 250 to 350 – a considerable leap in resources that could be a sign of the challenges faced.
The UK-France package will also cover further investment in drones, night-vision equipment, sniffer dogs, CCTV and port security.
Since 2018, National Crime Agency officers have been working with their French counterparts on joint intelligence operations.