Suspected illegal immigrants found hiding in lorry in Devon

From: Semere Asmelash <semereasmelash_at_ymail.com_at_dehai.org>
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2016 12:54:10 +0000 (UTC)

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-35611272

Nine held after being found in lorry in Honiton

19 February 2016 Devon

Nine suspected illegal immigrants have been arrested after a lorry driver heard their voices inside the vehicle's container when he got to Devon.

Seven adults and two children were arrested for entering the UK illegally after police were called to Heathpark Industrial Estate, Honiton, at about 14:20 GMT on Wednesday.

The driver said he had arrived in the UK through Dover a few hours before.

All of the suspects are believed to be from Eritrea.
Devon and Cornwall Police said they "appeared to be healthy and no medical services were required".

They were taken to a custody centre in Exeter and are being dealt with by immigration officers.


http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/suspected-illegal-immigrants-arrested-Plymouth/story-28763639-detail/story.html

Suspected illegal immigrants found hiding in lorry in Devon

By Plymouth Herald

POLICE have arrested nine suspected illegal immigrants after a delivery driver heard voices in the back of his lorry and raised the alarm.

The seven adults and two youths – believed to be from Eritrea, in East Africa – were arrested at Heathpark Industrial Estate, in Honiton, at about 2.20pm yesterday (Wed).

A delivery driver, who had entered the UK from Dover just hours before, asked a business at the industrial park to call the police after he heard voices coming from his lorry's container.

Police told The Herald neighbourhood officers attended and confirmed that voices were heard coming from inside the vehicle and further police units were deployed before the container was opened.

The nine people in the back of the container were arrested on suspicion of entering the UK illegally and are now being dealt with by the Immigration Service at Exeter Custody Centre.

A police spokesman said: "All appeared to be healthy and no medical services were required."

It is not the first time suspected illegal immigrants have been caught attempting to enter Plymouth.

In September a holidaymaker, from Keyham, alerted police when he saw a pair attempting to board a Plymouth-bound ferry.

Retired John MacGregor, aged 69, was preparing to return home from Santander when he saw a man acting strangely.

Police were alerted and the man was searched before being taken away.

Another man was pulled out from underneath a lorry and also taken away.

Ross Mackenzie, who owns Courier Force, based at Langage Science Park, was left furious when his company was fined thousands after 12 migrants were found in the back of one of his delivery trucks.

The former Royal Navy marksman, said the migrants managed to climb into the back of the truck when the driver stopped briefly at a service station just outside of Calais in September 2014

n February last year, the Home Office fined Courier Force £8,400 and the driver £7,200.

Mr Mackenzie contested the fines through an appeal process and they were reduced to £5,000 and £1,000.

In December, The Herald also reported on a trial held in Brittany that saw a gang of French fishermen jailed for five years after smuggling 130 Albanians into the UK via beaches near Plymouth.

Between January 2002 and January 2003 the fishermen carried out 16 trips in sail boats and motor boats between ports in Brittany and Normandy and dropped off their passengers in coves and on beaches along the coastline between Weymouth, Plymouth and South East Cornwall.

At the time, French prosecutor Anne Fourmel said Britain was seen as the 'Eldorado' for hundreds of desperate illegal immigrants.
Received on Fri Feb 19 2016 - 07:54:10 EST

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