UK and France sign £662m deal to fund police efforts over small boat crossings

• The UK has agreed a £662m three-year deal with France to fund police efforts to stop small boat launches along the French coast.
• A new unit of 45 French officers will specifically target super-sized mega dinghies, bringing the total number of deployed French officers to nearly 1,050.
• France is expanding its specialist intelligence and judicial team from 18 to 30 officers to disrupt people-smuggling networks.
• The deal was highlighted during a meeting in London between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Andy Burnham .
• Small boat crossings to the UK have dropped by 23 per cent year-on-year, despite smugglers placing record numbers of migrants on individual boats.

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