With regard to the UK 'stop the boats' policy which is clearly not working, with many saying that we should be targeting traffickers.

What does international law say about this, do the UK authorities have jurisdiction to run undercover operations in other countries to find the actual traffickers, or should this be left to Europol / Interpol?

I would suspect those on French beaches are not the people who are at the top, they just hand out boats, the issue seems to be with those who are in other countries selling routes to the UK via land / sea, taking money and then not caring about if that person even arrives safely.

Another reason for people to be able to claim asylum closer to their point of origin, and this actually goes for anyone, wanting to reach the EU. Seems more people are dying on the Med, and will continue to die.

Who has the legal right to arrest the traffickers, where would they stand trial, etc.