• The prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes, whose department borders Italy, has just authorized the police to use drones to "have a wide-angle vision" in the face of "irregular crossings" of migrants
  • In the four municipalities where they will be able to fly, including Menton, "9,000 individuals in an irregular situation have already been intercepted" in just over four months.
  • The use of drones "is necessary and adapted" given "the difficulty of the terrain and the presence of many hiking trails to bypass the device to fight against illegal illegal immigration," according to the prefecture.

Border surveillance will now be able to be done from the air. The prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes, whose department borders Italy, has just authorized the police to use drones to "have a wide-angle vision" in the face of "irregular crossings" of migrants, "multiplied by four" since the beginning of the year.

Two decrees published Wednesday and spotted by Nice-Matin, validate for three months "the capture, recording and transmission of images by means of cameras installed on aircraft" in Menton, but also in Sospel, Castellar and Breil-sur-Roya. In its four communes, which all share a border with the neighboring country, "9,000 individuals in an irregular situation have already been intercepted" in just over four months, according to texts signed by the sub-prefect of Alpes-Maritimes.



Given "the difficulty of the terrain"

The use of drones "is necessary and adapted" given "the difficulty of the terrain and the presence of many hiking trails to bypass the device to fight against illegal illegal immigration," says the representative of the State. According to him, these devices would have "the advantage of having a wide-angle vision to allow the surveillance of the border while limiting the commitment of forces on the ground".

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne promised at the end of April the mobilization of 150 "additional" police and gendarmes in the department as well as the creation of a "border force". Last week, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin acknowledged "an influx of migrants and especially minors" in the south of the France, while blaming the transalpine neighbor. "The truth is ... that Italy is incapable [...] of managing this migratory pressure," he said, triggering a diplomatic crisis between the two countries.

  • Society
  • Nice
  • Alpes-Maritimes
  • Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
  • PACA
  • Migrants
  • Drone
  • Immigration
  • Italy
  • Borders