MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th January, 2019) French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner laid out a plan Friday for stopping illegal English Channel crossings, after hundreds of migrants attempted the trip in past months.
Castaner said on Twitter actions had been taken to step up coordination between agencies, increase surveillance in ports, raise awareness among coast guards, and fight human traffickers.
The measures were taken in the run-up to a joint action plan that the French minister hopes to agree with UK authorities during his upcoming visit to London, French broadcaster France Bleu said.
French coast guards reportedly detained 228 people last year for trying to cross the English Channel illegally. British media said at least 239 had made it to the UK shore since November, prompting the military to deploy a Royal Navy patrol ship this week to assist the border force.
