French police tactics are becoming more effective in stopping small boats in the English Channel from reaching Britain, the Home Office has said.
It credits French authorities with intercepting 185 potential crossings involving 4,300 migrants this summer over four separate weeks, as well as stopping 12 boats at sea using new techniques.
Footage released by French police shows officers racing across a beach in jeeps to intercept a launch. Once the boat is abandoned, an officer slashes it lengthways with a knife.
The Conservatives described the announcement as a "joke" and said Channel crossing preventions were "down by half over the past year".
Migrants can be seen throwing objects at the officers, one of whom appears to respond with pepper spray.
While Channel crossings are down about 40% compared to last year, thousands of illegal migrants are getting through with 250 arriving on Monday.
In late July a record 165 migrants reached the UK in a single boat with Border Security Command pictured towing a mega dinghy – estimated to be the same size as a standard bus at 13m (42ft) long – when it arrived in Dover on 23 July.
The Home Office, citing French police figures, said that since it struck a deal with France three months ago which included additional funding for authorities, 61% of small boats have been intercepted – a five per cent increase compared to last year.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the "UK-France deal is already having a real impact".
The UK-France Border Security deal agreed in April under the Starmer government, includes £501m over three years to strengthen operations in northern France and £161m for new approaches.
Previously the French authorities allowed most dinghies to head towards the UK once they had launched, because of the risk of intercepting them in deep water, while loaded with people.
Of the 12 dinghies stopped so far at sea, three interceptions took place in the last two weeks.
The techniques being used have not been disclosed by the UK or France.
Charlie Eastaugh, director of maritime and small boats at the Border Security Command, told the BBC that "last Thursday alone, the French prevented all three of the boats that tried to cross".
Speaking to the BBC at the Western Jetfoil facility in Dover used to process migrants, he said: "Two of those they prevented at sea, and one they prevented on land."
