People smugglers 'promoting summer deals' as migrants told 'migrate before it's too late'

Sick people smugglers are reportedly promoting "summer deals" on social media to lure migrants into taking the dangerous trip across the Channel. TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are all reportedly being used to share posts, including prices from £900 to £5,000 and often with a phone number to contact. Criminal networks are also said to be increasingly offering up to 50% off to certain nationalities and adapting their strategies to dodge French patrols.

Eritreans and Albanians appear to be specifically targeted with customised adverts, with smugglers charging as low as £2,000 for the journey. A Facebook page for Albanians looking for work in the UK included an advert with pick-up and drop-off times and locations, and another promising journeys this summer for "only £2,000", MailOnline reports.

Others urged people to "migrate before it's too late" and shared videos of crossing and famous landmarks with the caption, "Welcome to London".

The National Crime Agency has been working with social media companies to get videos of successful migrant crossing removed, though a number of them remain.

This comes as July is poised to set a new record for migrant arrivals, according to The Telegraph. This month has already seen 2,378 asylum seekers reach the UK via small boats.

In total, 22,360 migrants, primarily from the Middle East, Vietnam, and East Africa, have braved the Channel crossing this year, marking a 57% increase from last year's figure of 14,164 who arrived on inflatable dinghies.

The outlet's analysis of Border Force data suggests this could be the busiest July yet, with 2,378 arrivals in just the first 12 days, surpassing the previous record of 1,711 in the same period in 2023.

Projecting the current daily rate throughout July gets an estimated total of 6,143, potentially the highest monthly tally ever recorded.

Traffickers are also deploying "taxi boats" - pre-inflated dinghies - launched from inland waterways and canals leading to the sea, allowing for rapid loading of migrants before police can act.

These vessels move along the coast to collect passengers waiting in the water, out of reach of the authorities.