A further 6 transmigrants have been apprehended at the West Flemish coast. This time the migrants that are believed to have been waiting to cross the sea to the UK in small boats were discovered in the dunes at the popular seaside resort of Blankenberge. At the end of last month, a faulty dinghy was discovered on a beach between Blankenberge and Zeebrugge. This would appear to confirm that transmigrants are attempting to cross the sea to the UK from further and further up the coast.
The Blankenberge/Zuienkerke Local Police is on the alert for transmigrants. On Monday evening police officers once again detained suspected transmigrants.
Police Commissioner Jan Maertens told VRT News that "3 people were found in the Zeebos nature reserve and 3 others on the Polderlaan”.
“They were all detained by the authorities, and the Immigration Service has been notified.’
A federal police helicopter and a drone were also deployed during the search operation.
“Thermal cameras make it easier for us to track migrants from the air. The police helicopter was also dispatched following another report of the presence of transmigrants migration, but this turned out to be a false alarm.”
Due to stricter controls on illegal migration in France, the smugglers have changed their tactics. They are using Belgium as a staging post, sailing from the coast of West Flanders to France and crossing the Channel from there. As the police along the westen part of the coast are on high alert, people smugglers are increasingly moving further up coast.