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8 October 2004
BRUSSELS – Illegal immigrants are paying EUR 2,500 for a one-way trip across the English channel from Belgium to the United Kingdom, reports say.
The illegal crossings are made in small motor boats that are incredibly hard for coast guards in Belgium or the UK to spot, Le Soir newspaper reported on Friday.
People heading for the UK have been leaving from La Panne beach on the Belgian coastline.
In recent months the Belgian authorities have launched a major crackdown on illegal immigrants trying to reach the UK via the country’s ports and beaches.
[Copyright Expatica 2004]
Subject: Belgian news