People smugglers use social media to advertise cross-Channel crossings

People smugglers use social media to advertise Channel dinghy crossings for up to £5,500 per trip, probe shows… but one trafficker is offering a cut-price ‘summer sale’ deal for £3,500

• GB News probe revealed that dozens of TikTok accounts boast about crossings
• One account encourages asylum seekers to send them WhatsApp message
• Clips reveal dates of crossings as well as footage of people leaving France 
• Videos also show the cramped boats and people advertise prices for crossings 

People smugglers use social media to advertise cross-Channel dinghy crossings, charging as much as £5,500, a probe has shown. 

A GB News investigation revealed that dozens of Albanian accounts on TikTok speak about getting the men, women and children from France to Britain and boast about it. 

Pieces of footage show the journey, which starts in Albania and then moves onto Brussels in Belgium.

Afterwards, people travel through France, including Paris, Lille and Dunkirk. One of the clips posts a map of the coast, saying ‘water’ with a laughing emoji face.   

A GB News investigation revealed that dozens of Albanian accounts on TikTok speak about getting the men, women and children from France to Britain and boast about it

Pieces of footage show the journey, which starts in Albania and then moves onto Brussels in Belgium. Pictured: A group of migrants enters the sea with an inflatable dinghy, to leave the coast of northern France in 2021 

Other videos show how cramped the boats can get with the migrants wearing life jackets.

On one of the accounts, asylum seekers are encouraged to send them a message via WhatsApp with a UK contact number posted.

Other clips on TikTok include the dates of crossings as well as footage of people leaving France and getting into boats.   

Additionally, migrants pose for pictures and do peace signs at cameras.  

In the background, Border Force are seen ready to intercept the dinghies. 

Accounts often include pictures of the UK including Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament- to prove the successful journey.  

Another clip posted last month, translated from Albanian to English, says: ‘Today we passed three rafts of 60 people from Dunkerque, tomorrow the other way.

‘£5,500 the way – we are the strongest group in France.’

Accounts often include pictures of the UK including Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament- to prove the successful journey. Pictured: Migrants call the Abeille Languedoc for help after their boat’s generator broke down in French waters while they were trying to cross the Channel illegally to Britain

And a separate similar post said: ‘We have a route every day until the end of July. We are the best group in France to pass people. Price is £5,000, DM for the next route.’

Another said: ‘Only for £4,000, what are you waiting for? Leave today, tomorrow, contact in DM.

‘Direct line every day France – England at four o’clock.’

Meanwhile, another TikTok claimed to get people from Brussels to the UK for £4,550 in ‘just one day.’  

One account also offered a ‘summer sale’ to customers for a cut price of £3,500.  

Meanwhile, another TikTok claimed to get people from Brussels to the UK for £4,550 in ‘just one day.’ Pictured: Migrants are rescued by crew members of the Abeille Languedoc ship after their boat’s generator broke down in French waters

The source who found some of the videos told GB News:  ‘I’m just a normal member of the public and got myself down a rabbit hole on TikTok where I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

‘There’s videos of people putting how to contact them and when they’re going with their contact details. Even ones of people videoing themselves coming over and you can see Border Force in the background.

They added that it is ‘unbelievable’ that the information is there and easy to find when you start looking and queried why the authorities were not doing anything about it. 

It comes as 696 people crossed the Channel in small boats on Monday- the highest number on a single day so far this year.   

It comes as 696 people crossed the Channel in small boats on Monday- the highest number on a single day so far this year. Pictured: One of the TikTok videos 

The figure means that more than 17,000 have crossed the Channel this year and that the total of 28,526 from 2021 is likely to be surpassed.

Previously, the Daily Mail reported that Albanian criminals were charging up to £20,000 to smuggle migrants to the UK on TikTok last year.  

It means more than 17,000 made the trip this year meaning it is likely 2021’s total of 28,526 is expected to be surpassed.

These clips go against TikTok’s terms which state that users ‘must not post, live stream or otherwise distribute any content on the platform which constitutes, encourages or provides instruction for a criminal offence, or dangerous activities that may lead to serious injury or death or self-harm’.

Harsher rules for online content were earlier this year included in the Online Safety Bill which classes people smuggling as an extra priority illegal offence.  

The Bill wants to ensure that companies are more proactive when it comes to content and prevent people ‘being exposed in the first place.’ 

The figure means that more than 17,000 have crossed the Channel this year and that the total of 28,526 from 2021 is likely to be surpassed. Pictured: A dinghy in the English channel 

Ofcom can also take faster action against companies which fail to remove illegal content.  

A spokesman for TikTok said: ‘Our policies state that to prevent users from engaging in life-threatening activities or being exploited by others, content depicting, promoting, coordinating or facilitating human smuggling is not allowed on TikTok.

‘I am currently reviewing the content with the relevant language support, the accounts flagged are likely to be banned as per policy mentioned above.’

A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘Posts used by people smugglers to promote lethal crossings are totally unacceptable and requires social media companies to engage in dialogue to prevent their platforms being exploited.

‘The Government is tackling this online disinformation, recently launching our own social media campaign to warn people of the risks of these deadly journeys and expose the lies sold to vulnerable people by inhumane smugglers.’

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