UK border operations are being “closely monitored” by smuggling gangs in northern France seeking to exploit weaknesses, as the number of people detected trying to enter the country clandestinely by sneaking on to vehicles has plummeted, a report has found.
Immigration and borders chief inspector David Bolt said it was vital for Border Force to invest in staff, detection equipment and IT systems to counter organised gangs and criminal opportunism.
Mr Bolt’s report said the number of migrants detected by Border Force staff working at the ferry ports of Calais and Dunkirk, and the Channel Tunnel at Coquelles, trying to enter the UK illegally has fallen substantially from 56,000 in 2014 to about 5,000 last year.
The findings of the Immigration and Borders watchdog follow publication of data showing a record number of migrants arriving in Britain after crossing the English Channel for the first three months of this year.
About 6,000 people have arrived as of Monday, according to latest Home Office figures, despite the Labour government’s pledge to “smash the gangs” of people smugglers who charge people thousands to make the dangerous crossing in flimsy boats.
The report found that many argue small boat journeys began in the Channel because of UK government efforts to boost physical security at the port up until 2020, when curbing illegal crossings became the focus.
Inspectors raised concerns about fairness over a scheme that fines drivers up to £10,000 ($12,900) if a stowaway is found in their vehicle.
“Border Force resources and capabilities are stretched, and its operations and those of its security contractors are closely monitored by migrants and smuggling gangs to identify and be ready to exploit any weaknesses,” Mr Bolt said.
He added it was “vital that Border Force continues to invest in staff, detection equipment and IT systems” at the ports in northern France.
The report said more work is needed to understand why some migrants enter vehicles covertly at the “juxtaposed ports” – where British border staff in France are based – and cross through the Channel Tunnel as stowaways.
"The relationship between small boats and clandestine entry through the juxtaposed ports is not well understood,” said Mr Bolt. "This needs more attention, not least to get ahead of any displacement effect if new measures to reduce small boat crossings begin to work."
Watch: Teenager determined to reach Britain
Looking at why some migrants choose clandestine entry over small boat crossings, inspectors said cost was relevant, with places on board boats appearing to have no set price.
"However, it is reasonable to assume that a key point of difference is the intention of the vast majority of those arriving by small boat to claim asylum at the first opportunity, which over 90 per cent have done, whereas a proportion of clandestine entrants hope to remain undetected in the UK for as long as possible,” said Mr Bolt.
Among seven recommendations, his report called for the Home Office to designate “ownership” of clandestine entries, so improvements can be made and maintained.
It added that at the time of writing the report there was no senior leader with overall responsibility for tackling clandestine entry despite it being categorised as the highest priority in Border Force documents.
The Home Office has said the newly formed Border Security Command, set up to tackle organised immigration crime, will support the role.
A Home Office representative said: “The Home Office acknowledges the need for a co-ordinated approach to tackling the clandestine threat. The newly established Border Security Command (BSC) will deliver a major overhaul and upgrade in law enforcement marking a significant step forward in the fight against illegal migration and criminal smuggling gangs.”
Kurdish smugglers bringing death to shores of Europe
Meanwhile, the latest figures for small boat crossings represent a blow to the UK government’s pledge to deal with the politically charged issue.
The number is above the 5,435 migrants who arrived across January, February and March in 2024 - at the time, a record for the first quarter of a calendar year. It is also well above the 3,793 arrivals in the first three months of 2023 and 4,548 in the equivalent period in 2022.
An investigation by The National recently revealed the determination of migrants to cross the English Channel and a people-smuggling industry controlled and financed in Iraqi-Kurdistan.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
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