HGV Drivers Warned As Highjack Reward Offered

News today that a substantial reward has been offered for information about a gang - apparently from Northern Ireland - who carried out a £1m lorry hijacking in the north of England comes on foot of a Government initiative to warn local lorry drivers of the dangers associated with long haul trucking.

Earlier this month five men posed as vehicle inspectors and tricked a lorry driver into pulling over so the gang could order the driver to go to docks near Liverpool.

There he was made to swap his trailer over so that one containing £1m worth of cigarettes could then be taken away.

The police have now offered a £50,000 reward to catch the culprits who left the 46-year-old lorry driver "distraught" from the ordeal.

They said four of the five-strong gang had Northern Irish accents. One was armed with a knife.

Earlier this month truck drivers were targeted in a new initiative to help halt smuggling through ports in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The 'You Never Know Who's Watching Do You?' poster campaign involves the PSNI, Crimestoppers, the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, the Road Haulage Association, and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency.

It is aimed at HGV drivers who are often targeted by organised crime gangs to smuggle illegal loads, such as drugs, counterfeit goods and fuel.

Posters were erected in port buildings both in NI and Scotland, and leaflets were given to truck drivers when they leave the ports.

Detective Chief Inspector Garry Clarke, of the PSNI Crime Operations Drugs Squad, said it is very important that truck drivers know that they can help bring an end to this type of activity: "The purpose of this initiative is to raise awareness amongst HGV drivers of what they can do to help us make Northern Ireland a safer place for them and their families. In 2006, nearly 800,000 commercial vehicles used the ports of Larne and Belfast.

"In terms of smuggling loads, some drivers will be paid for what they do, some will be doing it under duress and there will be some who are unaware of what is in their load.

"Commercial drivers are themselves a community and like any community they will know what is going on and we need their help to reduce the harm that smuggling is causing Northern Ireland," said the detective.

(BMcC)