M6 closed after 12 suspected illegal immigrants rescued from refrigerated lorry
Twelve suspected illegal immigrants were rescued from the back of a refrigerated lorry on the M6 today.
Police took a 'distressed call' from a man travelling in the lorry between junction 10A for the M54 and the Hilton services before junction 11, at around 9am.
The man asked for 'urgent assistance' for the group.
Officers from the Central Motorway Police Group stopped the lorry and closed the motorway in both directions.
The 12 people found in the lorry are now being seen by paramedics and could be taken into custody, police said.
The motorway was closed in both directions for a time while the lorry was recovered.
Staffordshire Police spokeswoman Faye Casey said: "Just before 9am this morning a distressed call was received from a man travelling in the back of a refrigerated lorry on the M6 northbound.
"He was requesting urgent assistance for himself and his companions.
"The 12 individuals, located within the vehicle, are now being seen by colleagues from the ambulance service should they require medical attention, and where appropriate will be taken into custody.
"We will now be working with our colleagues in immigration and border control to establish the exact circumstances of how these individuals came to be in the back of the lorry."
