There is a lot of coastline and not that many police/coastguards. In fact we have been closing down the coastguard stations since satellite tracking of commercial shipping became the norm.
(I come from a part of the UK that was notorious for smuggling, wrecking and other forms of piracy).
2b3a51|1 day ago
(I come from a part of the UK that was notorious for smuggling, wrecking and other forms of piracy).
gib444|1 day ago
605 on 10 boats just 3 days ago...
FWIW it's a political problem, not a defence problem.