French police dismantled a makeshift migrant camp in the northern port of Calais on Friday, removing hundreds of people in one of biggest operations of its kind in recent months.

Since the COVID-19 lockdown was eased and the borders within the European Union were reopened, migrants have started to flock to Calais again, in hopes of reaching Britain via the Channel Tunnel.

The number of migrants had significantly increased over the recent weeks, finding shelter in sheds and makeshift shelters in the southern part of the town, local authorities said.

In a statement, they said “several hundred migrants were identified on the premises, including about 30 children.”

The operation started at around 6 AM with the migrants being taken to various reception centers in the region.

French authorities have repeatedly dismantled illegal campsites only for them to pop up again elsewhere within months.

Many of the migrants have fled to France from the Middle East, Asia and North Africa, as they sought to flee countries grappling with poverty and wars.

Since the dismantling of the large “Calais Jungle” in 2016, where up to 9,000 people lived, migrants are now scattered in many camps, most on the outskirts of Calais.