Investigation After Illegal Immigrants Found In Lorry

A police has been launched by the UK Border Agency after 26 suspected illegal immigrants were found on a lorrybound for south Wales.

Gwent Police were called to a distribution centre in Chepstow in Monmouthshire after the driver of an Asda lorry raised the alarm.

According to the UK Border Agency, the people were being dealt with by its officers at a police station at Ystrad Mynach in Caerphilly county.

A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said the 26 suspected illegal immigrants had been transferred to specialist teams of UK Border Agency officers who were dealing with them at Ystrad Mynach police station.

"Our policy is clear - when suspected illegal entrants found on lorries are arrested by police, immigration officers attend quickly in all cases,” the spokesman said.

"Where an individual is found to have no legal right to remain in the UK we will remove them.

"The UK Border Agency has introduced many measures to make our borders more secure.

"Our deployment of state-of-the-art detection technology, the levying of civil penalties on hauliers, and closer co-operation with carriers, port authorities and EU counterparts are clamping down on illegal entry into the UK."

Gwent Police confirmed they were called to the area at 6.30am on Tuesday and the arrests were made.

(JM/BMcC)