Belgian police have made unprecedented arrests as smuggling gangs adapt to increased French patrols by launching 'taxi boats' from West Flanders. The crackdown highlights a shift in migration routes and the challenges of combating organized crime across borders.
Small boat smuggling gangs operating across the English Channel have faced a significant crackdown as they shift their operations from France to Belgium, according to a recent investigation by the Mail On Sunday.
The criminal networks, previously active along the French coastline, are now attempting to evade heightened police surveillance by launching 'taxi boats' from West Flanders, a region southwest of Bruges. These vessels transport migrants bound for the UK, with some passengers being picked up from remote coastal areas in Hauts-de-France, near Dunkirk and Calais.
However, Belgian authorities have responded with unprecedented vigor, resulting in the arrest of 40 suspected smugglers and over 360 migrants since the beginning of the year. This marks a stark contrast to the relatively lax enforcement witnessed in France last year, where police often allowed migrants to board flimsy inflatable boats without intervention.
The shift in smuggling tactics comes as French law enforcement has ramped up patrols along its beaches, a development attributed to a new partnership between the UK and France aimed at curbing illegal migration. A spokesperson for the Federale Politie revealed that small boat launches from Belgium were virtually non-existent in the previous two years, with only zero to one recorded annually.
However, in the first four months of 2026 alone, Belgian police documented 27 attempted launches, with an additional five thwarted. The spokesperson explained that the surge in activity is directly linked to increased French patrols, stating, 'Organized crime gangs will always try to adapt when their business model is disrupted, and it seems some have adapted by trying to move migrants to the UK from Belgium.
' Belgian authorities have intensified their efforts, launching public awareness campaigns to encourage citizens to report suspicious activities. The spokesperson also highlighted the strong intelligence-sharing network between Belgian, French, German, and British law enforcement agencies, including the UK’s National Crime Agency. Belgium has historically deported around 50% of 'transit-migrants,' individuals passing through the country en route to other destinations.
While the number of arrests at ports like Zeebrugge has declined due to enhanced security measures, the rise in small boat smuggling has led to a significant increase in migrant apprehensions. In 2020, Belgian authorities detained 4,238 migrants, followed by 3,458 in 2021.
However, these figures have since dropped, with only 352 arrests in 2025. This year, the shift to small boat smuggling has already resulted in 364 arrests. Last month, UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced a joint statement revealing that 480 cross-Channel smugglers were arrested in 2025. The ministers also unveiled a new three-year Anglo-French agreement aimed at bolstering law enforcement efforts.
The agreement will increase the number of officers deployed in northern France by 53%, from 907 this year to 1,392 by 2029, and will fund the deployment of advanced technologies to intercept small boats, particularly water taxis. Despite these efforts, some experts remain skeptical about the effectiveness of these measures. Alp Mehmet, former British diplomat and chairman of Migration Watch UK, argued that most illegal migrants would avoid the longer and riskier journey from Belgium.
He stated, 'Few migrants will switch from France to Belgium, whatever happens in France—which so far has been precious little. The greater distances involved and the Belgian coastguard’s readiness to intercept boats that have set sail make it unlikely. Some may chance the backs of lorries from ports like Zeebrugge, but the numbers won’t be huge.
' Mehmet emphasized that the only effective deterrent is the detention and swift removal of illegal arrivals
Cross-Channel Smuggling Belgian Police Crackdown Migrant Trafficking UK-France Partnership Illegal Migration
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Belgian Crackdown on Cross-Channel Smuggling Gangs as Operations Shift from FranceBelgian authorities have launched a major crackdown on small boat smuggling gangs, arresting dozens of suspects and hundreds of migrants as criminal networks shift operations from France to Belgium. The move follows increased French police patrols along the coast, forcing smugglers to adapt their tactics. British and French officials have also strengthened cooperation to combat illegal migration across the English Channel.
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