Human smuggling

7,000 illegal immigrants smuggled into Britain on ferries

The number of illegal immigrants who were successfully smuggled into Britain on ferries has more than doubled in the past three years, according to official figures.

Ministers have disclosed that the number of "clandestine entrants" who made their way into Britain through Dover and other ports has risen from 1,432 in 2013 to 2,935 last year.

Experts said that the true figures are likely to be significantly higher as many illegal immigrants disappear after entering the UK and are never discovered by authorities.