People smugglers forcing women and children to steer boats across Channel in bid to avoid arrest
There have been a record 8,300 people arrive in small boat this year
28 December 2020 • 6:00pm
The Telegraph understands that to counter the aerial surveillance, women and children are being positioned at the rear of the small inflatables and instructed to navigate across the busy waterway.
Credit: Steve Finn
People smugglers bringing migrants to the UK in small boats are forcing women and children to steer the vessels in a bid to avoid arrest.
Since a military Watchkeeper drone was deployed in September, smugglers who are facilitating illegal entry into the UK have been caught on camera with their hands on the tiller, making it much easier to secure convictions.
Michetti has been jailed for more than four years
A man who attempted to smuggle a group of illegal migrants into the UK hidden amongst tyres in the back of his van has been jailed for more than four years.
Italian national Mauro Michetti, 54, was stopped by Border Force officers at Dover’s Eastern Docks in the early hours of 22 October this year.
The officers searched the vehicle and found the seven illegal migrants hidden under a pile of old tyres that Mr Michetti claimed were bought in Brussels to sell in London.
The illegal migrants had been concealed in a boxed section of the van underneath the tyres. They were all Albanian men, aged between 27 and 43.
People smugger who was stopped at Dover jailed for more than four years
Published: 06:00, 13 December 2020
A man who attempted to smuggle a group of people into the UK hidden under tyres in the back of his van has been jailed for more than four years.
Italian national Mauro Michetti, 54, was stopped by Border Force officers at Doverâs Eastern Docks in the early hours of October 22 this year.
Mauro Michetti has been jailed
The officers searched the vehicle and found the seven men hidden under a pile of old tyres that Michetti claimed were bought in Brussels to sell in London.
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