Britain, France to cooperate to combat migrant smugglers

Both countries agreed that it was important to tackle smuggling networks on both sides of the English Channel.

London: Britain and France are to strengthen police cooperation to dismantle people smuggling networks and combat undocumented migration, the French interior minister said on Monday.

Bernard Cazeneuve and his British counterpart Theresa May signed an agreement at a meeting in London on Monday night to increase cross-border cooperation in law enforcement.

"It's an agreement which re-inforces cooperation between our police services, our intelligence services, and which also aims to ultimately increase judicial cooperation between our two countries in the fight against illegal immigration and smuggling networks," Cazeneuve said at a press conference.

The interior minister said it was important to tackle smuggling networks on both sides of the English Channel that divides Britain from France, as those involved were "often the same".