Assault rifles found in migrant camps in France, sparking huge security fears

Police have seized assault rifles in migrant camps in northern France, a top border chief has revealed.

Charlie Eastaugh, director of maritime and small boats at Border Security Command, said smugglers have been caught with guns amid bitter turf wars.

Mr Eastaugh warned that violence has “become more and more common on the French coast over the last few years”.

And he revealed that French officers stopped two dinghies at sea last Thursday before taking dozens of asylum seekers back, prompting hope that more action will finally be taken.

Drone footage released on Thursday night showed police being pelted with rocks as they tried to stop a boat from launching.

A beach buggy intercepted the asylum seekers as they tried to reach the water.

Some split away from the main group, trying to thwart officers from slashing the dinghy. And officers were pelted with rocks as they tried to intervene.

Mr Eastaugh told LBC: “It’s a very common occurrence to see large sticks being wielded and used against French officers, rocks thrown.

“There have been a number of firearms, quite serious assault rifles, seized in the migrant camps in northern France.

“This is a combination of those looking to board, those organising the crossings, those piloting, so the helmsmen of the vessels.

“That’s why some of the new legislation that this Government has passed has allowed us to crack down on specific endangerment offences, to imprison more and more people who are putting these particular lives in danger while trying to cross.

“Our message is really clear: that you are not beyond the arm of the law once you’re on the French beach or once you’re at sea. And this is exceptionally dangerous, and you’re committing a criminal offence.”

Officials believe the smuggling gangs are carrying assault rifles to control their “patches”.

Iraqi-Kurdish gangs control migrant smuggling operations from Calais to Dunkirk, this newspaper understands, with territory split up according to where the criminals are from, such as Erbil, Sulaimaniya, Ranya and Sharazoor.

Criminals from Ranya are said to control a large part of the territory.

Smuggling gangs appear to have changed their tactics and started loading more people into single boats in recent times.

Earlier this month, a record 230 people made the journey in a single boat.

Ministers are keen to stress that the number of successful crossings is going down.

Some 15,897 migrants have crossed the Channel so far this year, down 43% on the same time last year, and an 18% drop from the same point in 2024.

But on Thursday night, the Home Office claimed the French were having more success in stopping Channel migrant crossings.

On Thursday, officials claimed France has prevented 185 small-boat crossings in the first three months of Labour’s £660million deal with Paris.

This, they said, equated to 61% of crossing attempts. French officials also believe they had four weeks during which they stopped every attempt to launch a dinghy.

“This is coverage of French officers wading into the water on French beaches, slashing vessels, using tear gas, defending themselves against migrants and facilitators who are throwing rocks and fighting with them, and then ultimately slashing the vessel and immobilising it,” said Mr Eastaugh.

“And these are scenes that we’re seeing more and more regularly. Last Thursday alone, the French prevented, out of the public eye, two boats at sea and one boat on the land.

“And that was all three of the boats that tried to cross. So, 100% prevention and zero arrivals. And that’s exactly what we’re aspiring to every day.”