🔗 Share this article French authorities to begin stopping small boats in Channel following UK pressure French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK. The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel. French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation. French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals. "It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters." Currently, a French naval police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives. Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the boats. This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left government. This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat. Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented. Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances. UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment. Related Developments Reasons UK cannot just return migrants to French territory France backing away from commitment to stop migrant boats UK immigration Channel crossings Border security