People smugglers have slashed prices for small boat crossings to Britain. A Channel crossing on Friday afternoon reportedly cost €600 (£513) per person, at least €200 (£171) less than the week before. The change comes after 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, North Africa, between Thursday and Friday morning.
Spanish officials said nearly all have voluntarily returned to Morocco, but traffickers have shared their "excitement" over the development. One trafficker revealed some smuggling networks are hiring new operatives across Europe to "get the most out of the situation".
Smugglers see opportunity in Ceuta
A smuggler, speaking to an undercover reporter from The Telegraph posing as a relative of a migrant hoping to travel from Ceuta to Britain, said: "Without a doubt, it's a big opportunity. Of course the Spanish authorities are not going to find all of them, but we've already secured some who are coming to us, and then to Britain."
The smuggler added: "We are reducing the prices and speeding up the process, because a lot of those people will come to us. And do not worry – we're expanding our networks, so your relative can be picked up by our men and sent to Britain quickly."
Prices fall on other routes
According to The Telegraph, the cost of a four-day boat journey from Turkey to Italy has also fallen by up to £1,480 this week.
Authorities in Ceuta and Madrid linked the border surge to a recent decision by the Spanish Supreme Court, which ruled that migrants arriving by sea could not be summarily deported, unlike those who cross by land or climb the border fence. Most who arrived in Ceuta during the influx came by sea.
Political reaction
Spain's socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the incident was "a violation of Spain's territorial integrity" and migrant smugglers had misinterpreted the court ruling. Officials have said at least 86 people died during the border surge.
Many who made the journey said they had hoped to find better work opportunities in Spain, but were heading back due to the mayhem in Ceuta.
EU response
EU ministers will hold emergency talks on Tuesday after 22 member states signed a joint letter calling for a coordinated response to the situation in Ceuta. Italy has temporarily suspended its open-border Schengen agreement with Spain, reimposing border controls for air and sea, while France also tightened its border checks with its western neighbour.
Earlier this week, four people died trying to reach the UK after the busiest day for Channel crossings this year.
