Nine men were seen fleeing from a lorry parked on a lay-by in Icklesham on the A259 at 3:40 pm on Monday, August 3. They were tracked by a police helicopter and arrested. The driver of the lorry, a 52-year-old man from Austria, was also arrested on suspicion of helping asylum seekers enter the UK. He was released without charge at around 11:10 am on Tuesday, August 4.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Home Office immigration officers were contacted by Sussex Police yesterday, August 3, after police officers attended an incident in Icklesham, East Sussex.
“Nine Vietnamese men were arrested on suspicion of entering the UK illegally. All nine are currently in immigration detention. If it is found they have no right to remain they will face removal from the UK.”
This follows closely upon another incident in the same place on June 2. On that occasion, according to the police report, seven men were seen to get out of a stationary lorry in a lay-by on the A259 between Icklesham and Guestling. Four were detained by police at the scene and the other three were found nearby. All seven were taken into custody under investigation by the UK Border authorities. On that occasion, the lorry drove away prior to the arrival of police and has not yet been traced.
Previous incidents in the South East involving lorries from Calais (frequently in Kent and close to Dover) usually involve only one or two migrants who have managed to hide in or under a lorry, and the migrants frequently come from Africa or Iraq. But larger numbers are now involved in breaking into the Channel Tunnel terminal at Calais in order to get on trains.
Other incidents (sometimes at other ports like Harwich) have involved larger groups from much further away, such as Vietnam and Afghanistan, who have been discovered on lorries and involve organised groups of traffickers. However, local police have not commented on whether the two Icklesham incidents could involve traffickers.
(Sources: Home Office and Sussex Police)
Photo: PC Archer, Hastings Neighbourhood Policing Team