Fresh questions on illegal immigration

A report on the serious criminal threats facing Britain has prompted a fresh row row over illegal immigration.

The Serious Organised Crime Agency's 'threat assessment' said the cost of smuggling a person from France into Britain could now be less than £150.

Campaign group Migrationwatch said the news proved it was "incredibly easy to get people into Britain clandestinely".

Soca's report said the price that illegal immigrants pay to be smuggled into the UK could "vary substantially".

"Some pay less than £150 to enter the UK from France clandestinely," it said.

"Meanwhile, Chinese migrants may be charged up to £20,000 to be facilitated from China to the UK. Some Sri Lankan migrants pay £5,000 to £10,000."

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch, said that the lower end of the range was "extraordinarily cheap - not much more than the usual fare".

"It suggests that it is incredibly easy to get people into Britain clandestinely," he said.

"It also suggests that the much-trumpeted closure of the Sangatte refugee camp near Calais has had very little practical effect on the flow of illegal immigrants into Britain."

But Keith Best of the Immigration Advisory Service said he was "highly sceptical" of the figure.

"Based on what has been said before, I would have though the figure would be in the high hundreds, if not the thousands," he added.

Soca's review also said there was a "high" threat from organised crime.

It revealed that 25 to 35 tonnes of heroin are smuggled into the country every year, along with 35 to 40 tonnes of cocaine.

And Britain is the third highest consumer of ecstasy in the world, it said.