Man charged after child, six, and woman people-smuggled to UK in lorry

A man has been charged and two others have been arrested after a six-year-old child and a woman were smuggled into the UK in a lorry.

The two Albanian nationals were found on Sunday in the driver’s area of the vehicle, which had arrived into the port of Killingholme, North Lincolnshire on a ferry from Hook of Holland in The Netherlands, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

They were then handed to the immigration authorities.

The lorry’s driver, a 36-year-old man from Poland, was arrested and later charged with facilitating illegal immigration.

He was due to appear at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court on Monday, the NCA said.

Two Albanian men, aged 44 and 26, who had driven from the Hendon area in north London, were also detained by NCA officers shortly after a few miles from the port.

They were suspected of being on their way to meet the lorry.

The 26-year-old man remains in custody as he could face extradition to Italy, where he is wanted in connection with drug trafficking offences, the NCA said.

The 44-year-old man was released on bail pending further inquiries.

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.

“Our investigation into this incident continues.”