Report exposes gaps in safeguarding as victims of trafficking are re-exploited after being handed to French authorities.
Teenagers Trafficked to UK After Being Returned to French Authorities, Report Finds
A 14-year-old girl, who was discovered inside a holdall in the boot of a car in France, was later smuggled into the UK—despite being handed over to French border police by the UK Border Force, a new inspection report has revealed.
UK officers had serious concerns for the girl’s welfare and transferred her to Police Aux Frontières, the French border control agency. However, a month later, she was trafficked into Britain, according to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons.
After arriving in the UK, the girl was held captive in a warehouse alongside five other women. Fearing she would be forced into prostitution, she managed to escape and seek help.
Border Detention Centres Criticised
The case came to light in a report published on Monday, following a November 2024 inspection of five UK-run short-term detention sites in France, located in Calais and Dunkirk. These facilities, jointly operated by UK Border Force and private contractor Mitie Care & Custody, detain individuals travelling via coaches, cars, or hidden inside lorries.
Authorities can only hold people for up to 24 hours before either allowing them to continue their journey or transferring them to French police. However, the safeguarding process appears to be failing, with vulnerable individuals repeatedly falling victim to trafficking.
Second Teenager Also Re-Trafficked
The report also uncovered a similar case involving a 16-year-old boy, who had previously disclosed a history of abuse and exploitation. He was detained by UK authorities and returned to French police, only to be trafficked back into the UK two weeks later.
Once found again in Britain, UK police referred him to the government’s modern slavery support programme, which confirmed there were reasonable grounds to believe he had been trafficked.
Key Findings from the Report
Detention sites near Calais and Dunkirk were found to be inadequate, with some described as barely fit for purpose.
Some detainees, including children, were held for over 10 hours without proper documentation of safeguarding concerns.
Border Force staff failed to make consistent referrals for vulnerable individuals at risk of exploitation.
In May 2024, three officers used pain-inducing restraint techniques on a detainee, who subsequently lost consciousness.
Inspection Reveals Harsh Conditions
The Coquelles holding facility, near the Eurotunnel, was singled out as having poor conditions, with minimal natural light and no access to fresh air. Inspectors found detainees unable to sleep properly during their confinement.
Between April and September 2024, a total of 3,778 people were detained at these five facilities, with the most common nationalities being Romanian, Sudanese, Polish, and Eritrean.
Despite some improvements—such as a new facility at Calais Freight Port, which ended the practice of detaining migrants in old vans—the report concluded that UK authorities are failing to adequately safeguard vulnerable individuals.
Home Office Response
A Home Office spokesperson defended the UK’s actions, stating:
“We take the welfare and dignity of those in our care extremely seriously. The UK is committed to working with French authorities to dismantle human trafficking networks and bring smugglers to justice.”
However, critics argue that serious gaps in safeguarding protocols have led to trafficked children being repeatedly failed by the system.
