An asylum seeker reportedly sent from the UK to France under the one in, one out scheme has covertly returned to Britain and is living in hiding. After being returned to France by the Home Office, smugglers allegedly caught him and tried to force him to work for them, beating him severely. He escaped and said returning to the UK felt safer. He claimed that at least 18 other one in, one out returnees are also in the UK underground. He said smugglers in northern France offered lorry journeys instead of boats, with higher prices for lorry travel than small boat crossings. He linked the scheme’s deterrent aim to continued Channel crossings and smugglers adapting their methods.
"After I was sent back to France by the Home Office, the smugglers caught me and wanted to force me to work with them. I don't want to work with the smugglers and I refused to do so. They beat me so badly that my face is still full of bruises and injuries. I managed to escape from them and felt that my only option was to come back to the UK, which is a safer place for me."
"He said he believed many asylum seekers had returned to the UK using lorries: I don't know exactly how many people sent back to France under one in, one out have returned to UK and are now living underground, but I know of 18. The aim of the one in, one out scheme is to deter small boat crossings and stop people-smuggling gangs."
"He said that when he was in the Jungle a name used for the refugee camp in northern France where smugglers operate people were being offered journeys in lorries rather than on boats because of one in, one out. The price for a small boat Channel crossing is 1,000-2,000, while the price for a lorry to the UK is 4,000 to 5,000."
"Since it was agreed between the UK and France, however, thousands of asylum seekers have continued to cross the Channel and the smugglers have adapted their business model. They now launch more ve"
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