Killingholme: Polish lorry driver and two Albanians arrested after six-year-old child and woman found hidden in cab
A Polish lorry driver and two Albanians have been arrested after a woman and a six-year-old child were smuggled into a Humber port in a lorry.
The trio were detained by National Crime Agency officers on Sunday morning, after a lorry arrived on a ferry from Hook of Holland into the port of Killingholme in North Lincolnshire.
It was searched by Border Force, who were working with the NCA, and the woman and child, both Albanian nationals, were found hidden in the cab. They were handed to the immigration authorities.
The lorry driver, a 36-year-old from Poland, was arrested. He was later charged with facilitating illegal immigration, and was due to appear before Grimsby Magistrates on Monday.
Shortly after, two Albanian men aged 44 and 26 were also arrested by NCA officers a few miles from the port. They had driven up from Hendon near London and were suspected of being on their way to meet the lorry.
The 44-year-old was bailed pending further enquiries, while the 26-year-old remains in custody.
He is believed to be the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, which could see him extradited to Italy where he is wanted in connection with drug trafficking offences.
NCA Regional Head of Investigations Jacque Beer said: “Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA.
“While many of the groups involved are based overseas, where there are UK-based individuals engaged in this type of criminality they can expect the full attention of the NCA and our partners."