Would be illegal immigrants found in Attleborough-bound lorry

Seven would-be illegal immigrants have been prevented from entering the UK after Border Force officers found them hiding inside an Attleborough-bound bound lorry waiting to board a Channel ferry at Calais.

The four women and three men from Eritrea were found when officers with Lettie, a sniffer dog, searched a Hungarian registered lorry heading for Norfolk on August 3.

All the stowaways were handed over to the French border police and the vehicle was allowed to continue on to its destination.

Carole Upshall, Border Force director for south and Europe, said: “This incident shows why we base Border Force staff in France– to stop would-be illegal immigrants before they can reach the UK.

“Our strong presence in French ports like Calais helps protect the whole of the UK from people attempting to enter the country illegally.

“As well as using sniffer dogs, officers also use heartbeat detectors and carbon dioxide probes and physical searches to find people hiding in vehicles”.

A leaflet, issued by the Border Force, in partnership with the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), gives information and advice to lorry drivers transporting freight to and from the UK on how to prevent illegal immigration and avoid becoming victims of crime.