Channel migrants are being warned smugglers will force them to become slaves.

The Home Office has launched a new advertising campaign in Albania rubbishing the claims of the organised crime gangs running the small boats trade.

In one, a migrant says: "I was promised a well-paid job. Instead, I was a slave."

Another adds: "I owe a lot of money for the journey. They won't say how long I need to work for."

Many migrants are falsely promised work if they pay thousands to criminal gangs smuggling people into Britain.

Another migrant advert says: “I owe a lot of money for the journey. They won’t say how long I need to work for or how much I owe.”

Accompanying Home Office messages warn that illegal migrants are not allowed to work in the UK and risk being exploited.

In another one a migrant reveals the threats they faced: “They said my family would be harmed if I didn’t follow instructions.”

Some 36,816 people made the journey in 2024, a jump of 25% from the 29,437 who arrived in 2023, according to provisional figures from the Home Office.

The total is down 20% on the record 45,774 arrivals in 2022.

Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said: “This campaign helps to break the business model of these criminals and protects people from falling victim to their dangerous lies, securing our borders as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

“Working closely with international partners like Albania, we are targeting criminal gangs at every step, disrupting their operations across borders, and bringing perpetrators to justice.”