France bans sale of inflatable boats from Channel ports in bid to stop migrant crossings

France has been forced to ban the sale of inflatable boats from Channel ports in a bid to stop migrant crossings.

France has been forced to ban the sale of inflatable dinghies from Channel towns in a bid to try to end a recent surge in migrant crossings. It came as soaked migrants waded onto British shores carrying young children yesterday, Tuesday, September 7, later photographed bending down on their knees to kiss the beach.

The move comes just hours after Home Secretary Priti Patel threatened to withhold the £54m the UK government promised to France for stopping migrant crossings as a record number hit UK shores in a day.

As well as the move to ban the sale of boats, police patrols have also been increased around the French coast to prevent outboard motor thefts- a common occurrence.

A report from The Sun has however revealed that people smugglers are already getting around the ban by ordering boats online and having them delivered to safe houses.

Sports shops have been ordered to pull boats from shelves and police patrols have been increased around the French coast to prevent outboard motor thefts.

But people smugglers are getting around the ban by ordering boats online and having them delivered to safe houses.

They are then taken to rendezvous points for migrants to use in crossing attempts.

Yesterday, the website of sports retailer Decathlon’s Calais store showed boats were unavailable for sale- however, it is still possible to order one online for €695 for home delivery in Calais.

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Dozens of migrants were snapped getting on their hands and knees on the pebbled beach in Dungeness, saying they were relieved to be safely back on land after making the dangerous journey.

The group – mostly men and a couple of women – arrived on boats on Tuesday afternoon, (September 7) where they were met by the RNLI and Border Force.

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