Over the past weekend, police in northern France prevented more than 600 people from illegally crossing the English Channel to Great Britain.
Eleven people smugglers were arrested, the French national police announced on Tuesday in Calais.
In addition, boats and equipment intended for the crossings were secured.
As the maritime prefecture announced, 72 migrants were rescued from distress at sea during the night from Friday to Saturday when they got into distress with their small boats on their way to Great Britain.
Rescue ships took them to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
According to figures from the British Home Office, more than 28,500 people crossed the English Channel on small boats last year towards Great Britain.
According to the information, almost 8,500 people crossed the English Channel in 2020, and only around 1,800 in 2019. The French security forces rescued more than 8,600 migrants from distress at sea last year.