2 days ago
Sudanese top illegal migrant detection chart
Sudanese nationals are now the most common illegal migrants detected in Britain within three days of evading border controls.
Thousands of Sudanese have arrived via small boats over the last year, and are at times discovered at ports when boats are intercepted or lorries are found with migrants aboard.
The latest Government data, however, shows them to be the top group not detected immediately on crossings, but within 72 hours of irregular entry.
In the year to March, 21 per cent of those found within three days of crossing the border illegally were Sudanese.
They were also among the top three nationalities arriving via small boats to the UK in the first quarter of the year.
The data reflects the ongoing civil war in Sudan, which has created 14.3 million refugees, according to a new report by the UN refugee agency.
Smugglers have lowered their prices for Channel crossings by boat for Sudanese nationals, as many cannot afford to pay the thousands of euros typically charged for such journeys.
Bringing down prices is a response to the success that some Sudanese have had in sneaking onto boats intended for other migrants who have paid smugglers, or by jumping onto lorries and squeezing into the narrow space between the driver cabin and cargo bed.
Whereas many small boat arrivals are intercepted, lorry crossings while hiding with the cargo are often not detected immediately.
Munzir, a Sudanese refugee in Calais, told The Telegraph: 'When we find some people who bring the boat, we jump in. It's not easy for us to cross; sometimes the police will come and destroy your boat.'
As the Sudan conflict enters a third year and a humanitarian crisis continues to unfold, refugees are likely to keep seeking ways to flee the country.
'The humanitarian conditions in Sudan continue to deteriorate, with the declared famine leading to acute malnutrition, starvation, and severe, widespread food insecurity,' according to the Soufan Center, a Washington DC-based think tank that focuses on security issues.
Last year, they were the sixth-largest nationality arriving on boats, at a total of 2,695 people, representing a 63 per cent increase from the year prior.
'Sometimes you can negotiate with the smugglers,' said Munzir. 'We say, 'we don't have money', and sometimes they agree, because you see, if they don't agree and we start to fight each other, then the police will come.'
In Calais, hundreds of Sudanese refugees take shelter in what many refer to as the 'hangar', a large abandoned storage facility. Charity groups deliver humanitarian aid around here each week, supplying people – many of whom are minors – with hot meals and medical care.
In 2024, people from Sudan and Ukraine were the top two nationalities seeking asylum, with each group accounting for more than 870,000 applications.
Flooding and heavy rains last summer further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, displacing 200,000 people.
Chinese GB50A guided bombs and 155mm AH-4 howitzers, manufactured by Norinco, a Chinese state-owned corporation, have been used in Sudan, and were likely exported there by the UAE in violation of an arms embargo, finds Amnesty International.
Three in five people in Sudan are in need of aid, amounting to more than 30 million people – the first time that a single country has hit such a high figure, according to an April report by a consortium of aid groups.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
