Police are asking people to report any signs of people smuggling activity on the coast along the south-west of England. Det Supt Alex Doughty, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said there had been five suspected people smuggling incidents across the force area in the three months to July. She said that number was "probably the tip of the iceberg" and she wanted the public to "be alive to" the vulnerability of the region's coastline.
The force also said it was working with the Crimestoppers charity to raise awareness about the signs to look out for. Det Supt Doughty is responsible for coordinating activity against illegal immigration in Devon and Cornwall. She said the number of recorded suspected incidents of people smuggling had remained "fairly consistent" in the two-and-a-half years that she had been doing the job.
But she described the extent of the crime type as a "known unknown", adding she wanted to encourage people to report any suspicious behaviour. "We see a lot in the media about immigration incidents in the South East, but..
. we have these 730 miles [1,175km] of beautiful coastline and, actually, we're quite vulnerable here as well" she said. There have been a number of high-profile confirmed cases in recent years in both counties.
In 2020, four men were jailed into Newlyn, Cornwall, on a 42ft yacht. In 2021, two people were jailed on a 27ft yacht which beached near Teignmouth in Devon. There have also been charges made in relation to suspected incidents.
It was alleg.