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<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The UK works closely with the French authorities on matters
of border security and cross border criminality to maintain the integrity of our joint
border controls. <br><br>The Home Office and Border Force regularly meet the French
at Ministerial, official and operational level to enhance our effectiveness in tackling
irregular migration and organised immigration crime, including between Calais and
Dover.</p><p> </p><p>Recent collaboration has resulted in a grant of £2 million from
the UK to replace and upgrade the Passive Millimetre Wave Imaging (PMMWI) equipment
currently deployed in the ports of Calais and Coquelles.</p><p>In respect of the UK
response to increase our impact on Organised Immigration Crime in France (especially
northern France) Border Force have established a UK Task Force (Op Groundbreaker)
and assembled Intelligence /Investigation Officers from Immigration Enforcement, Border
Force, National Crime Agency and Kent Police. The Task Force is able to provide a
robust response to OIC and work closely with French colleagues in Police Aux Frontiéres
(PAF) nationally and in particular with OCRIEST (Office Central de Répression de l'Immigration
Irrégulière et de l'Emploi d'Etrangers sans Titre - a specialist PAF Unit dedicated
to tackling organised crime groups in France and abroad).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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