People smugglers are increasingly transporting migrants from the United Kingdom to mainland Europe so they can take advantage of Spain’s new regularization program, according to an investigation byThe Telegraph. Smuggling networks are exploiting the opportunity created by Madrid’s decision to allow hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants to apply for legal residency, turning the scheme into a potential pull factor for new migration routes.
Networks of human smugglers take advantage of gaps in border enforcement by hiding migrants in trucks leaving the UK for France, with onward journeys arranged by ferry or rail. Many migrants using these routes face the possibility of removal from Britain when their visas expire or if they are found working illegally.
The journey can cost migrants up to £1,000 (€1,168), providing access to a route into continental Europe and, potentially, the ability to move freely across much of the Schengen zone. Some smugglers offer an additional ‘taxi service’ for around £500, transporting migrants through France toward the Spanish border.
A smuggler from Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, was recently sentenced to five years and three months in prison after making £180,000 (€210,200) organizing smuggling routes across the English Channel. The man had even boasted of successfully getting up to 60 people a week into France.
Other smugglers now advertise their services on social media. The Telegraph highlighted a video showing over a dozen Indian migrants crammed into the cargo hold of a truck, with the caption:
From the UK to Spain. The boys and their families are 100% safe. Message me for details.
A TikTok video shows a dozen migrants sitting in the cargo area of a truck, superimposed with the caption: “From the UK to Europe. Send a private message. Serious inquiries only.”
