East Coast Harbours 'Wide Open To Illegal Activity'

East Coast Harbours 'Wide Open To Illegal Activity'

- Theo Stocker

Visits by Border Force officers, stricter customs rules, and patrols by RIBs could all become more common around British harbours and marinas if the recommendations of a new report are enacted.

The advice was given after David Bolt, the independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, found that small harbours and marinas on the UK’s east coast are wide open to illegal activity due to ‘poor’ Border Force coverage. The report found that the Force is ‘spread thinly’ and struggling with a lack of manpower and resources.

Almost half the 62 small ports, harbours and marinas on the east coast have not been visited by a Border Force officer in over a year. A lack of visible deterrent and poor intelligence gathering at small ports means there is little control over clandestine marine activity, such as illegal immigration, movement of criminals and smuggling.