France says neighbours, including UK, must do more to tackle human trafficking
Reuters
November 25, 2021 16:20 MYT
November 25, 2021 16:20 MYT
Darmanin removes his protective face mask before a news conference after an assailant stabbed and badly wounded a policewoman in La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, western France, May 28, 2021. - Photo by REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File
PARIS: French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Thursday that Britain, Belgium and Germany needed to do more to help France tackle illegal migrants and human trafficking.
Speaking after 27 migrants died on Wednesday when their dinghy deflated as they attempted to cross the Channel, Darmanin said again on RTL radio that those migrants were "often attracted" by Britain's labour market.
"It's an international problem ... We tell our Belgian, German and British friends they should help us fight traffickers that work at an international level," Darmanin said.
He said French police had made a fifth arrest in connection with Wednesday's drownings, and that two of the survivors were from Iraq and Somalia.
Darmanin said France and Britain should work together but again put the blame on London for not doing enough to deter migrants from wanting to land on English shores.
"There is bad immigration management (in Britain)," Darmanin said.