logo
People smugglers offering 'summer deals' post clips on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook to lure migrants into crossing Channel as July is set to be the busiest month ever for arrivals

People smugglers offering 'summer deals' post clips on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook to lure migrants into crossing Channel as July is set to be the busiest month ever for arrivals

Daily Mail​14-07-2025
People smugglers are offering migrants 'summer deals' for Channel crossings as the number using the dangerous route continues to surge.
Adverts are still being shared on platforms including TikTok, Facebook and Instagram despite social media giants promising to clamp down on the content.
Posts offer crossings to the UK for prices ranging from £900 to £5,000, and often include a WhatsApp number to contact.
One advert shared on a Facebook page for Albanians wanting to work in the UK even included specific pick-up and drop-off times and locations, while another promised summer journeys for 'only £2,000'.
Others mimic business sales tactics, urging viewers to 'migrate before it's too late' and tempting them with videos of successful crossings and images of British landmarks captioned 'welcome to London '.
A total of 2,378 small boat migrants arrived in the UK this month up to Saturday. This puts it on course to be the busiest July on record, with 1,711 arriving in 2023 - the last busiest 12 days.
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer announced a 'one in, one out' deal that will see one illegal migrant sent back to France in return for accepting one who has made a legal claim on the Continent.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has refused to say how many of the thousands arriving by dinghy will be removed under the pilot scheme, amid fears it will not serve as a sufficient deterrent.
One advert shared on a Facebook page for Albanians in the UK even included specific pick-up and drop-off times and locations
The National Crime Agency has been working with social media companies to get video footage of the crossings removed, with more than 8,000 taken down last year alone.
But the number of videos still available online show the big platforms remain a key forum for smugglers looking to reach new clients.
Dr Peter Walsh, a senior researcher at The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, believes content featuring migrants themselves could be particularly persuasive to anyone thinking of making the journey.
'Research suggests individuals are more sceptical about what smugglers say, but they feel more connection with migrants who are shown making the journey themselves, particularly if they share the same nationality,' he told MailOnline.
'The key thing is to share information about particular routes to take, how the process works and how much it costs. The countries migrants are going to are often presented as highly desirable, but often the information is not accurate.
'These are businesses a the end of the day, however disreputable, and prices go up and down. We've seen evidence of discounts being offered to people driving the boats.
'There are anecdotal reports of specific discounts being offered to some nationalities, such as Eritreans. I'm speculating, but it might be because smugglers are working out what kind of price point they'd be able to afford.'
Several videos uncovered by the i showed the social media accounts of suspected smugglers celebrating successful crossings with gleeful captions such as 'Welcome to London'.
One boasted 'we are masters' alongside celebratory emojis.
Comment threads are often used by migrants to contact smugglers.
In one comment to a TikTok clip, a user asks: 'Guys, how does one reach Britain', to which a suspected smuggler replies: 'Message me.'
Ministers are under pressure to get a grip of the migrant crisis with 2025 on course to be a record year for small-boat crossings.
A Home Office spokesperson said: 'It is unacceptable for any individual, whether they are a member of a smuggling gang or otherwise, to peddle these lies on social media and promote the criminal services of people-traffickers to others.
'It is also unacceptable for social media companies to host this type of promotional content, which is encouraging people to put their lives at risk in the Channel.
'As a result, we are working with the National Crime Agency and major social media companies, including TikTok, to seek the rapid removal of online content promoting dangerous small boat crossings. Since November 2021, the National Crime Agency has worked with social media companies to take down around 22,000 organised immigration crime related social media posts and accounts.'
More than 21,000 people have already made the perilous journey across the Channel, and Iraqi Kurds now dominate the people smuggling networks.
Yvette Cooper is set to strike a migrant returns deal with Iraq which would enable the UK to send more failed asylum seekers back.
The Home Secretary is said to be in the 'final stages' of agreeing the pact to speed up cooperation between London and Baghdad.
Ms Cooper is also planning to double down on Labour's controversial migrants return deal by banning repeat offenders from claiming asylum.
Home Office sources said that any boat migrant who has been returned to France and then made a crossing again would not be able to apply for asylum.
Their identities would also be stored on a biometric database. A source said: 'At about £3,000 a crossing it would be a total waste of money for them to try again.'
Human-rights campaigners have said they will support court challenges brought by small-boat arrivals, while the EU says it is assessing whether the scheme complies with the 'spirit and the letter of the law'.
Ms Cooper is also facing calls to extend the biometric testing into an effective revival of Sir Tony Blair's abandoned ID card plans, to stop migrants working illegally.
In May, the Home Office's immigration white paper promised to roll out 'digital identity for all overseas citizens' to improve border management and 'enforcement against illegal working and misuse'.
But there are increasing signs that ID cards could now be introduced for all citizens – not just migrants.
Last month, Downing Street was said to be looking 'very closely' at a so-called 'BritCard' that could be used to check on an individual's right to live and work in this country.
And yesterday, Labour MPs told the Mail on Sunday that on the back of the 'one in, one out' deal with France, now was the time to revive a modern version of those plans.
Bury North MP James Frith said: 'There is considerable merit in revisiting digital ID now, given how far technology and public confidence in digitisation have come since this was last considered in our politics.
'From online banking to NHS apps, people are increasingly comfortable with secure digital services.'
He added: 'In light of the new returns deal with France and efforts to strengthen the integrity of our asylum system, a carefully-designed digital ID could help protect access to public services, prevent abuse, and ensure faster, fairer support for those who need it.'
According to TikTok, the platform proactively removed 96.9% of content that showed human trafficking and smuggling, including 70.4% within 24 hours of posting.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tasers to be issued to staff in male prisons in government crack down on violence
Tasers to be issued to staff in male prisons in government crack down on violence

The Independent

time14 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Tasers to be issued to staff in male prisons in government crack down on violence

Tasers are set to be issued to some staff in male prisons as the government attempts to crack down on 'unacceptable' record levels of violence. Specialist officers from the Operational Response and Resilience Unit based in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, and Doncaster, South Yorkshire, will be the first to become equipped with electric stun guns when the pilot launches on Monday. as she attended the base in Kidlington last week. The trial in England and Wales will run until enough data has been collected to determine if Tasers should be more widely used, according to the Ministry of Justice – but Ms Mahmood said she hoped to have updates in the autumn. The launch comes after rates of assaults on prison staff reached record levels last year, rising by 13 per cent in the 12 months up to December 2024, according to government data. There were also 10,496 assaults on staff in the 12 months to September 2024 – a 23 per cent increase from the previous 12 months and a new peak. Unions welcomed the new trial, but called on the government to address the roots of violence in jail. Last week, officers demonstrated how they would use Tasers on violent inmates in scenarios where there is a significant threat to safety – such as hostage situations or riots. Speaking to reporters at the Kidlington base, Ms Mahmood said: 'I inherited a situation with completely unacceptable levels of violence. I'm not willing to tolerate that. I'm determined to do everything I can to keep prison staff safe. 'They have been asking for Tasers to be allowed to be used in our prison estate for years and years and years, and I'm very pleased to have been able to greenlight this trial.' In April this year, Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff at HMP Frankland with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush. Four prison officers were injured at the jail in Brasside, County Durham, with three taken to hospital. 'The incident of Frankland has really forced the pace on further roll-out of these measures,' Ms Mahmood said. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana also allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh in May by pouring boiling water over them. Union bosses called for officers to be given stab vests and protective equipment, with Ms Mahmood announcing in June that officers would be told to wear body armour at close supervision centres, separation centres and segregation units in the highest categories of prisons in England and Wales. The trial will use the Taser 7 model, which generates 50,000 volts when fired, with the voltage dropping to 1,500 volts on contact with the skin to incapacitate the target. The T7 model is also a two-shot weapon, enabling officers to shoot a second time in the event they miss their target the first time. The Tasers will be worn by officers on their tactical vest in a secure holster, making the weapon visible to inmates as a deterrent, officers told Ms Mahmood last week. They added that the device also collects data – such as how long it was discharged for – which will contribute to the trial. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. The Ministry of Justice announced in April Pava spray is due to be made available 'in limited circumstances' to a select number of specialist staff at the three public sector young offender institutions – including YOI Werrington, Wetherby and Feltham A. The Taser trial is part of a £40 million package announced last month to boost security across the prison estate, including £10 million specifically for anti-drone measures such as new netting and reinforced windows, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said on Monday. 'Officers will be subject to robust accountability measures, each deployment of a taser will be reviewed,' a spokesperson for the MoJ added. A spokesperson for the Prison Officers' Association (POA) said: 'The POA will always support any initiative that will help protect our members. 'However, as welcome as this initiative is we need to address the reasons why prison officers need Tasers in the first place. 'Violence in our prisons is out of control and apathetic prison managers would rather put the prison regime before the safety of their staff. 'We urgently need action to address overcrowding, understaffing, drugs and the other root causes of prison violence.'

John Swinney and Donald Trump to meet in Aberdeen
John Swinney and Donald Trump to meet in Aberdeen

The National

time15 minutes ago

  • The National

John Swinney and Donald Trump to meet in Aberdeen

JOHN Swinney will use his meeting with Donald Trump to push for stronger US pressure on Israel and to seek trade concessions for key Scottish exports. Swinney is expected to urge the US president to back an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and increase humanitarian aid access during a meeting on Tuesday. The First Minister is also reported to have accepted an invitation to have dinner with the president on Monday night. Swinney is expected to make the case that the 'blunt human reality' of starvation in the enclave requires urgent international action. READ MORE: John Swinney to discuss 'horrific' Gaza humanitarian crisis with Donald Trump 'There must be an intensification of pressure on Israel,' Swinney said in a BBC interview. 'President Trump is ideally positioned – perhaps uniquely positioned – to ensure safe passage for humanitarian aid and push for a durable ceasefire. The people of Gaza face absolutely unbearable conditions.' Swinney will also press Trump to exclude Scotch whisky from the current 10% US tariff on UK exports. He argued the 'uniqueness' of Scottish whisky production merits special exemption. 'It can only be produced in Scotland. It's not a product that can be produced in any other part of the world," Swinney said. 'So there's a uniqueness about that, which I think means there is a case for it to be taken out of the tariffs arrangement that is now in place. 'Obviously the trade deal with the United States provides a degree of stability for economic connections with the United States, but the application of tariffs is increasing the costs for the Scotch whisky industry. 'So one of my objectives will be to make the case to President Trump that Scotch whiskey should be exempted from those tariffs. 'It's a product that is uniquely produced in Scotland, and it's a product that is much welcomed and supported within the United States. 'And I think there's a really good case for exempting Scotch whisky, and this is an opportunity that I have to put that case to President Trump on behalf of the Scotch whisky industry, which is a significant part of the Scottish economy.' Swinney said the tariffs are currently costing the industry around £4 million each week, describing them as a 'significant burden'. He added that reaching a deal would support economic growth and development in Scotland. 'Obviously, I'll be using every opportunity I have to try to put that across to President Trump," he continued. His interventions come as Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets Trump for broader discussions on the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and the future of UK-US trade. While a recent UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal eased some barriers, tariffs on British steel remain unresolved. Industry leaders had feared a hike to 50%, but the current 25% rate still poses challenges, particularly with no new agreement following a July 9 deadline set by the Trump administration. READ MORE: Donald Trump to meet John Swinney and Keir Starmer for Gaza talks Downing Street said both governments are working "at pace" to provide long-term certainty for UK industry and deliver tangible benefits to workers on both sides of the Atlantic. Trump is also expected to discuss the war in Ukraine with Starmer, including coordinated efforts to pressure Vladimir Putin to end the invasion. After their meetings in Ayrshire, the pair will travel to Aberdeen for a private engagement. Trump struck a trade deal between the US and EU during his meeting with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Turnberry on Sunday. The agreement introduces a 15% tariff on most EU goods entering the US – down from a previously threatened 30% – and includes significant energy commitments.

No10 confirms if there will be bank holiday for Euros win after Lionesses soared to victory with penalty heroics
No10 confirms if there will be bank holiday for Euros win after Lionesses soared to victory with penalty heroics

The Sun

time15 minutes ago

  • The Sun

No10 confirms if there will be bank holiday for Euros win after Lionesses soared to victory with penalty heroics

THE Government has confirmed if there will be a bank holiday following the Lionesses' historic Euros victory. A decision has been made after Chloe Kelly's cool penalty decided England's tense clash against Spain in Basel, Switzerland, last night. 2 2 They are the first senior England football team to win a major tournament on foreign soil and the first to retain a trophy after victory in 2022. But speaking today, the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has revealed that there won't be a bank holiday to celebrate the win. Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Reynolds said: "There should be a day of celebration. That's what the prime minister promised. "That's not a bank holiday, but there is a Downing Street reception today. There'll be the Victory Parade tomorrow. "I'm afraid I can't announce a bank holiday, but there should be a celebration to mark this brilliant achievement." The Prime Minister has previously pushed for a bank holiday to celebrate the Lionesses' achievements. Ahead of their loss to Spain in the World Cup final two years ago, Sir Keir Starmer has backed the day of celebration. Writing on X at the time, he said: "It's almost 60 years since England won the World Cup. "I'm never complacent about anything… but there should be a celebratory bank holiday if the Lionesses bring it home." Mr Reynolds added: "It's a magnificent achievement and it was just a privilege to watch. "I think this team handles the big tournament pressure better than any England team I've ever seen. "I mean, there were some tough moments, but they really came through." England fell behind to a goal by Mariona Caldentey in the 25th minute, but Alessia Russo scored a stunning equaliser after half time. Chloe Kelly delivered the perfect cross to Russo in the box, who brilliantly headed it into the side-netting. The teams battled it out in 30 minutes of extra time before England's Kelly scored the winning goal in penalties. The match took place in Basel, Switzerland, at the massive St Jakob-Park stadium and just over 34,000 fans are in attendance. Meanwhile, an estimated 16 million Brits watched from home. Manager Sarina Wiegman ran on to the pitch punching the air as she joined the mass of players and staff mobbing Kelly. The Arsenal ace was in tears as she joined thousands of delighted fans singing Sweet Caroline. Moments later, Kelly said: 'I am so proud of this team. So grateful to wear this badge. So proud to be English. I was cool, I was composed. 'I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. Unbelievable. All the staff and Sarina Wiegman — she has done it again! Unbelievable. 'It is going to be crazy. I hope the whole of England comes out to support us and shows their love to these girls as they deserve it.' is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store