A large migrant warehouse encampment, filmed by GB News recently, has been raided by French police and destroyed.

The major police operation comes as GB News can reveal that the number of migrants who have crossed the Channel illegally this year has now passed 34,000.

The latest grim milestone will be deeply alarming for the Labour government, as the figure is now just over 2,000 short of the total number of migrants who arrived during the whole of last year.

The so-called 'Orange Squat' in Calais featured in a series of live reports by GB News presenter Patrick Christys in July.

Located in the Marcel-Doret area of Calais, the squat was home to more than 100 mainly Sudanese young men.

GB News can confirm that a large contingent of French police, mostly from the CRS public order division, arrived at the squat early this morning.

They entered the warehouse and cleared out the migrants before destroying and clearing out the encampment inside.

Local French authorities had become increasingly concerned after GB News highlighted the large encampment and revealed the growing levels of criminality and violence around the French port.

The squat was home to many men

Firefighters and private security teams were also on hand this morning, as authorities cut off electricity to the area before beginning the raid.

In July, Patrick Christys encountered open hostility at times as he tried repeatedly to speak to some of the young Sudanese men inside the warehouse.

Some migrants did speak, and one Sudanese man told GB News of his desire to reach the UK and get a house and assistance from the British state.

French authorities said this morning's operation to raid and dismantle the encampment passed without incident.

Some migrants did speak, and one Sudanese man told GB News of his desire to reach the UK and get a house and assistance from the British state

Since the weekend, British and French authorities have been dealing with a fresh surge of small boat activity.

Over Saturday and Sunday, just under 1,300 migrants made the illegal journey.

That included 125 migrants on one boat on Saturday, the biggest ever number recorded on a single migrant boat in the English Channel.

In the first three days of this week, GB News can reveal around 700 others have crossed from France.

Provisional figures reveal that more than 34,150 migrants have reached the UK by small boat since the beginning of the year.

Although bad weather is again expected to hit the Channel tomorrow and last for more than a week, maritime sources have told GB News that last year's total for crossings is likely to be easily smashed by the middle of this month.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “These small boat crossings are utterly unacceptable and the vile people-smugglers behind them are wreaking havoc on our borders.

“Thanks to our deal with France, people crossing in small boats can be detained and the first removals have now begun.

“Protecting the UK border is my priority as Home Secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system.”