(MENAFN) French police have begun slashing inflatable boats used by migrants attempting to cross the English Channel, a new tactic aimed at curbing illegal migration to the UK, according to BBC footage aired on Friday. The video showed officers puncturing a dinghy packed with migrants before it could depart the French coast, rendering it unusable and dragging it back to shore.

This approach, reportedly used for the first time, is part of a broader strategy to enhance law enforcement capabilities. The Times reported that the measure will give French police greater authority to intervene before vessels leave for British waters. Currently, French maritime law restricts police action at sea to rescue missions, but upcoming legal changes are expected to allow officers from the specialized Compagnie de Marche unit to stop dinghies in shallow coastal areas as well.

The policy shift is seen as a precursor to an expected bilateral agreement between France and the UK, set to be announced next week. The summit will focus on new joint measures to address the rise in small-boat crossings and to reinforce border security. These new protocols are likely to be enforced later this month.

The ongoing migrant crisis has been driven by decades of war, poverty, and political instability across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. Western military interventions—such as those in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan—as well as support for regime change efforts in Syria, have worsened conditions in those regions, forcing many to flee their home countries.

The UK Home Office recently reported that 19,982 migrants arrived in Britain via small boats in the first half of 2025—a 50% increase compared to the same period last year and a 75% rise over the 11,433 recorded in 2023.

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