After the fatal shipwreck in the English Channel, the mayor of Le Portel calls the people smugglers “bastards”

At least 12 people died off the coast of Pas-de-Calais on Tuesday when a boat attempting to cross to the United Kingdom sank, according to a provisional report announced by Gérald Darmanin. “I am very angry with all these smugglers, whom I call bastards.”reacts Olivier Barbarin, the diverse left-wing mayor of Le Portel, near Boulogne-sur-Mer in Pas-de-Calais, guest of franceinfo Tuesday September 3. “Today, they are the ones who risked the lives of all these migrants who wanted to reach their El Dorado”he denounces.

The mayor of Le Portel points out that significant resources have been put in place to combat people smuggling networks. “More than 1 700 Police officers and gendarmes crisscross the Opal Coast every day, there is also video surveillance and drones but we know that the smugglers are ready for anything, there are sometimes departures from our beaches at 3am”, assures Olivier Barbarin.

The elected official shares Gérald Darmanin’s position and also calls for a migration treaty between London and the European Union. “I think we need to completely review this and protect our borders a little more, we will need to deal with this problem internationally.”insists the mayor of Le Portel.