Small boat smuggler offers migrants ‘Christmas special’ deal to illegally cross Channel into UK
A small boat smuggler is offering migrants a “Christmas special” deal to illegally cross the Channel over to the UK.
The smuggler – called “Salar” – uses an open Telegram group to advertise the “deal” to organise the illegal crossings, referring to it as “the game”.
He wrote: “To go to England, I have 15-person ‘games’ for Christmas.”
“From the 25th until the 29th, there will be special offers as the weather is also good – God willing, you will be in England before the new year,” he told an undercover Telegraph reporter who was posing as a migrant in Germany, hoping to get to the UK.
The smuggler started sharing his advert on December 17, posting screenshots of weather forecasts for the days ahead.
In one post, he said: “Hello my dear friends. Boat game. Dates 25, 26, 27; there are no waves at all. Wishing you all the best.”
Like Salar, many people smugglers have chosen to organise the trade from social media, using sites, such as Telegram and TikTok, to connect with hopeful migrants.
Online communities have driven around 30,000 migrants crossing the Channel this year alone.
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The Telegraph reported that Salar was “quick to respond”, “polite” and “straightforward”.
“As the weather and all conditions are good, I suggest you decide soon as many people are calling us now, and you will not find a spot later – everyone wants to cross over Christmas,” he advised the undercover reporter.
“If you decide to travel with us, you’ll need to deposit all your money in a money exchange shop so I know you’re committed. This way, I won’t accept more people for that boat.”
If an individual pays more, the boat will not be as full, which would increase their chances of a safe crossing – with a full fee of £2,500 per person while children can go for “half price”.
Those who cannot pay the full price will have to travel in a more dangerous arrangement – crammed with around 60 others on board a small dinghy designed for 20 people.
Although such an individual cannot offer a real guarantee, the “Salar guarantee” promises that if the boat seems to be sinking, he or his colleagues would alert the French authorities.
This year has been the deadliest ever for Channel crossings, as the death toll surpassed 50 after thousands attempted to survive the perilous journey from Calais.
“I can help you arrive in Calais from Germany, and I do not mind if you do not travel [across the Channel] with us,” Salar said, advising the undercover reporter on the logistics of the crossing.
“I’m sure someone introduced us to you, and you know our work is guaranteed.”