The primary aim seems to be to deter other migrants, the inferred warning being that, if you don't secure refugee status, you will be found and removed, sooner or later.

In the first wave of expulsions, individuals were approached by police without warning and detained, then taken to a flight to in this case, Kabul. The legal maximum capacity of this flight was 50.

On arriving, tis first wave were given financial assistance of 1,500 Afghanis (about £18) to go towards onward travel. They were also offered temporary accommodation. Most had lived in Europe for years, some since childhood. Many of these Afghans had little or no connection any longer to their country of birth.

Amnesty International have also reported that illegal expulsions, accompanied by beatings and abuse, have been observed in Italy after it was pressured by the EU to 'get tough'.