Organised crime groups that have historically competed for control of the English Channel migration route are now collaborating on crossings, according to a BBC investigation that examined smuggling tactics along the northern French coast. Once-rival networks are pooling equipment, drivers and finances after a sustained crackdown by UK and French authorities disrupted the supply of small rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) that have long been the workhorse of the trade.

The investigation found that smuggling gangs have begun deploying far bigger inflatable vessels — dubbed "mega-dinghies" by law enforcement — capable of carrying dozens of migrants in a single trip. The shift represents a significant escalation in risk: overcrowding, fuel instability and the difficulty of steering large inflatables across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes have all been linked to recent fatal incidents in the Channel.

French and UK officials told the BBC that the shortage of small boats has forced criminal entrepreneurs to cooperate rather than undercut one another. Several previously independent operations are now sharing "stock" of vessels, recruiting clients through the same social-media channels and splitting profits after each launch. Intelligence officials described the trend as an unintended consequence of efforts to seize boats and prosecute dinghy suppliers inland.

The collaboration marks a departure from the fragmented, freelance model that flourished in 2022 and 2023, when dozens of small networks competed for migrants gathered in northern French camps. Investigators warn that consolidation could make the trade harder to disrupt: a single coordinated network can reroute people, money and equipment more quickly than scattered crews, and the use of larger vessels means each successful launch now moves a far greater number of people.

UK ministers have pointed to record interception rates — including a sharp drop in crossings during parts of this year — as evidence that supply-side enforcement is working. But the BBC's findings suggest the policy is reshaping the criminal market rather than shrinking it. Home Office data show that the number of migrants arriving by small boat has fallen substantially from peak years, yet the fatality rate per crossing has risen, underscoring the dangers of the increasingly desperate tactics now being deployed by gangs adapting to the squeeze.