Almost 80 stowaways were discovered inside two lorries in separate incidents last week, just days after scores were found hiding in four lorries in Harwich.

A Home Office spokeswoman said Border Force officers conducted a “proactive search” of a Hungarian-registered HGV, which had arrived on a freight vessel at Humber Sea Terminal in Killingholme on 14 June.

Inside they found 51 stowaways from Albania, with one believed to be pregnant and who was taken to hospital.

The spokeswoman said: “The driver, a Hungarian national, has been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration.”

Then on 16 June, Cambridgeshire police stopped a French-registered lorry on the A1 northbound and found 27 people inside.

All were arrested for immigration offences and the 54-year-old driver from Dover was arrested on suspicion of assisting unlawful entry to the UK.

A police spokesman said: “Five of those detained have been taken to Peterborough City Hospital believed to be suffering dehydration – none are believed to be seriously ill.

“We are currently establishing the nationality and age of all those detained and liaising with the Immigration Enforcement Service.”

The East of England Ambulance Service said it sent three ambulances, four officers and a hazardous area response team to assist 25 patients.

On 4 June, Border Force officers intercepted 68 stowaways in four lorries at Harwich port. Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said 15 had already been deported.

He added: “All four drivers of the lorries involved were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration. They have been bailed but remain under investigation by law enforcement bodies, including the National Crime Agency.”

Topics