Migrant smugglers have started launching small boats from Belgian beaches to bypass France’s stepped-up crackdown on Channel crossings, with Belgian authorities recording 17 launches already this year — compared to no more than two annually since 2021.
Smugglers Shift Route to Evade French Enforcement
French border forces have intensified operations, using tear gas, slashing dinghies, drones and even horses to disrupt crossings. In response, gangs are now launching from towns such as De Haan near Bruges, with boats travelling up to four hours to pick up migrants in Dunkirk and Gravelines before heading to Britain.
Frontex, the European border agency, first noted the new Belgian route in February. On 7 April a Belgian law enforcement vessel tracked one dinghy leaving near Nieuwpoort before it headed to Dunkirk, where French patrols took over. That same day 137 migrants arrived in the UK on two boats.
Sharp Rise in Belgian Launches
Police spokeswoman An Berger confirmed 17 launches have already been recorded this year. Last month volunteers rescued 19 people from a sinking dinghy near De Haan after a six-to-seven-hour journey. Marine police arrested everyone on board and launched an investigation into a suspected human trafficking gang.
- 17 small boat launches from Belgium so far in 2026
- Maximum of two launches per year since 2021
- Boats launched from De Haan, Nieuwpoort and other Belgian beaches
- Migrants picked up in Dunkirk and Gravelines before crossing to UK
- French crackdown with tear gas, boat slashing and drones forcing route change
Belgian Authorities Increase Patrols
Belgian police have ramped up checks “on water, on land and also from the air”, supported by Frontex aircraft. Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt said: “Every boat that departs is one too many.” West Flanders governor Carl Decaluwé warned the situation is “no longer sustainable”, with up to 80 transmigrants arriving by bus at the border each week.
Belgian Minister of Security Bernard Quintin met UK Migration Minister Alex Norris last month to discuss intelligence sharing against smuggling gangs. Some in Belgium are now calling for the border with France to be closed to stop the flow.
Home Office Admits Awareness of New Route
A Home Office spokesman said: “We are aware of dangerous and illegal small boat launches from Belgium. Through continued shared intelligence and close partnerships with Belgian authorities, numerous others have been successfully prevented.”
Reform UK: Labour’s Borders Policy in Chaos
Reform UK has repeatedly warned that Labour’s weak border controls are simply pushing the migrant crisis elsewhere. With France cracking down, smugglers are simply moving up the coast to Belgium — proving that “stop the boats” requires real action, not warm words. Reform demands an immediate end to the small boat trade, faster deportations and a proper Australian-style points-based system that puts British people first.
What This Means for Britain
This latest development shows the migrant crisis is not being solved — it is simply being displaced. Every time one route is tightened, smugglers find another. Belgian beaches are now feeding the same dangerous crossings that Labour claims to have under control.
British coastal communities, the Royal Navy and Border Force are left picking up the pieces while taxpayers foot the bill for hotels, legal aid and processing. With 17 launches already this year from a country that previously saw almost none, the pressure on the English Channel is only increasing.
Reform UK’s message is clear: Britain must stop the boats at source, not chase them up and down the European coastline. Nigel Farage and Reform are the only party offering the tough, practical solutions needed to secure our borders once and for all.
Share if you believe small boat launches from Belgium prove Labour’s border policy is failing.
This article is a factual summary of reporting by GB News and The Times. Full original story available on their websites. All quotes directly attributed.
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Just what the hell has happened to the British Navy that they can’t stop a few small boats from invading this country ?
The answer has ALWAYS been so simple and straight forward :
TURN ‘EM ROUND, TOW ‘EM BACK !!! It worked for the Aussies, it’ll work for us !
True but I recommend using drones to ruin the boats and capture the people/traffickers by liaising with police.