Sick traffickers have been reportedly drugging children before they embark on perilous journeys across the English Channel, a concerning revelation shared with MPs. Solicitor General Lucy Rigby expressed dismay over criminals sedating young individuals to ensure their compliance during the hazardous voyage. She highlighted information from Crown Prosecution Service attorneys indicating that traffickers were resorting to sedation to make children more obedient while crossing.
Responding to Labour MP Alex Ballinger’s constituents’ worries in Halesowen, Rigby emphasized the need for prompt and stringent measures against those behind the risky Channel crossings jeopardizing the lives of women and children. Acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, Rigby affirmed the government’s commitment to dismantling the people smugglers’ operations to safeguard borders and prevent young lives from being endangered.
Recent Home Office data reveals that it has been over a week since the last group of migrants arrived on UK shores via small boats, with the most recent crossings recorded on August 26. Since January, over 29,000 individuals have undertaken the treacherous journey, resulting in nearly 80 fatalities last year. A new agreement with France, labeled ‘one in one out,’ is set to commence later this month, where individuals crossing from either country will be returned based on an approval process.
The initial implementation of this exchange program, with plans for future expansion, will involve detaining and repatriating individuals who crossed the Channel. Rigby emphasized that severe legal repercussions await anyone involved in the abhorrent practice of human smuggling. Drawing a contrast with the opposition party and Reform, Rigby criticized their lack of solutions and role in exacerbating the border crisis.
In response to Rigby’s statements, Tory shadow solicitor general Helen Grant expressed disagreement regarding the government’s handling of border issues, suggesting a critical assessment of the current administration’s performance over the past year. Grant questioned the validity of Rigby’s remarks given the government’s track record in this area.
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