The tactical shift towards Belgium has been observed since late February, according to a Frontex spokesman. Launch sites now include beaches in De Panne, Koksijde, Nieuwpoort, Ostend, and De Haan near Bruges. com, Jarne Pollie described this as unusual, noting that while De Panne, closest to the French border, was used in the past, attempts are now also seen from Koksijde and Nieuwpoort, which are further away.
Specific incidents underscore the operational shift. On Wednesday night, police discovered 15 migrants near Nieuwpoort marina, carrying a rubber inflatable boat, an outdoor motor, and jerry cans of gasoline. A Westkust Police spokesperson stated that only four of the fifteen people had life jackets, indicating intent to cross to the UK.
The majority of migrants wade out to the boats that take them, so they're soaking wet up to their chest before they even set off. The boats are overcrowded and they're crossing the busiest thoroughfare for shipping in the world, it's extremely dangerous in every respect.
The number of attempted crossings from the Belgian coast has risen sharply in recent months, with smugglers and migrants intercepted almost daily by police. The Westkust Police told the BBC there were no crossings in their zone last year and at least five this year. com, where he noted this shift indicates gangs are happy to move operations to evade French or Belgian police, suggesting a sophisticated ongoing operation.
In response, Belgium has asked the UK to step up cooperation, and officials from both countries are looking to deepen cooperation through closer intelligence sharing, coordination, and additional monitoring, according to major media reports. UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris held talks in Belgium on tackling people smuggling after recent attempts to launch from Belgian beaches. Norris stated that Belgium is a key ally in tackling illegal migration.
Smuggling gangs are always looking for new tactics to avoid patrols.
3 million to deter smuggling attempts and around £4 million over the past two years for technology like drones, leading to a control room in Zeebrugge port. Law enforcement on both sides of the border is ramping up efforts. The Belgian Federal Police is stepping up patrols on land, at sea, and from the air with Frontex aircraft, according to major media reports.
French police have stepped up their response, deploying tear gas, slashing boats on beaches, and using drones, light aircraft, and patrol vessels to intercept launches. Physical barriers have been installed to make it harder to access beaches with trailers and boats, according to research sources. Concurrently, Britain is attempting to renegotiate its financial arrangement with France for policing the Channel coastline.
It's a matter of urgency as small boats are now launched from Belgium as well as France, with longer journeys posing greater peril.
According to major media reports, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a two-month extension to a £475 million agreement and is pushing for performance-related clauses. The specifics of these clauses remain unknown, as does the exact breakdown of the UK's £4 million investment in Belgian law enforcement over the past two years. A recent large-scale cross-border operation highlights the international scope of the challenge.
On 25 March 2026, authorities in Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the UK, with support from Europol and Eurojust, conducted fourteen searches, including two in Belgium. The operation resulted in four high-value targets arrested in Germany and 17 individuals detained, with seized items including boats, engines, life jackets, weapons, cash, and electronic devices, according to research sources. The arrested suspects in Germany are expected to be extradited to Belgium to face prosecution in Bruges.
This is quite unusual. In the past they used De Panne, the town closest to the French border. Now we also see attempts from Koksijde and Nieuwpoort, which is further away.
Investigations into smuggling supply chains are ongoing. Since early 2025, Belgian authorities have investigated the transit of small boats and related nautical equipment from neighbouring countries, primarily Germany, towards France, according to research sources. This points to a networked operation sourcing materials across borders.
Data on the scale of Channel crossings this year presents a contradictory picture, creating confusion about the crisis's severity and the effectiveness of enforcement measures. According to major media reports, around 4,766 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year, a 28% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. However, other major media reports state that at least 250 small boat migrants launched from Belgian beaches on a recent Saturday, as almost 600 illegal immigrants from Belgium and France crossed into UK waters, taking the year's total to over 6,000.
It indicates that smuggling gangs are quite happy to move their operations, to try and avoid any patrols either by the French or the Belgian police. It's obviously still quite a sophisticated operation that's going on over there.
Several key unknowns persist. Beyond the unclear performance clauses in the UK-France agreement, it is not known how many migrants have successfully reached the UK from Belgian launches versus those intercepted. The legal framework to facilitate UK-Belgium cooperation post-Brexit is also under discussion, with Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin stating that cooperation with the UK has become more difficult since Brexit and needs an appropriate legal framework.
Furthermore, the structure and number of currently active cross-border smuggling networks remain unclear. The dangers of the crossings are severe. According to BBC News - Politics, Andy Roberts described the majority of migrants wading out to boats, soaking wet before setting off in overcrowded vessels across the world's busiest shipping thoroughfare, making it extremely dangerous.
They were going from Koksijde to England and then one day later on Wednesday there was an attempt to smuggle 15 from Nieuwpoort. This is indeed quite unusual. From Belgium there was the tradition of transmigrants climbing into trucks and cross
According to GB News, John Vine described the situation as a matter of urgency, with small boats now launched from Belgium as well as France, and longer journeys posing greater peril. These risks underscore the complex challenges facing authorities as smuggling tactics evolve.