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French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.

French police have infrequently acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.

"It is essential that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."

Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.

This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.

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