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Caught on video: Illegal immigrants emerge from Walsall lorry - but it's haulage BOSSES who are hit with £18k fine

A removal firm was fined after 13 illegal immigrants were discovered hiding in one of its lorries returning from France.

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Walsall-based Movecorp Ltd was hit with an £18,000 bill after the group was discovered in the vehicle driven by Mark Robinson.

Mr Robinson had returned from the Continent when he heard banging noises after pulling over at services on the M25 in London.

Despite bosses saying he called police and the UK Border Force to report the stowaways, the firm, based in Middlemore Lane West, Aldridge, was fined £19,500 following the incident.

Following an appeal, managing director James Tennant said the fine was reduced to £7,500, but with the legal costs the firm ended up paying around £18,000.

Mr Tennant now wants to raise awareness about the issue with other haulage companies.

He also claims that hauliers are being asked to do the border force's job, with officials unable to cope with numbers of want-to-be immigrants.

The agency said it was continuing 'to strengthen the security' of borders 'to stop those who have no right to enter the UK'.

Mr Tennant, aged 39, said: "The most frustrating thing is that our driver could have opened the doors and let them go, but because he did the right thing and reported it, we have ended up being the ones penalised."

"Mr Robinson stopped at the services and as he got out of the truck he could hear banging coming from the back and presumed there was something going on in there. He called the police and the Border Force.

"We don't know how they got in the lorry."

Video footage shows police telling the stowaways to stay in the truck before being led out one by one.

Mr Tennant said: "Whoever is behind it is obviously well organised. The driver had done the checks and locked the door.

"It seems the locks were opened by someone, the people let in, then reattached.

"He didn't really speak to the stowaways who were then taken away by the officers.

Police speak to the stowaways

"One of them tried to run away, but they were caught. The onus is on us to prove that we did all the checks and followed procedures but that's unfair. Because they have got such an immense problem we are having to do the work of the UK Border Force because they can't control it themselves."

The lorry was loaded with household goods belonging to a customer. The incident happened in May last year.

Home Office spokesman George Kotschy said: "We continue to strengthen the security of our borders to stop those who have no right to enter the UK.

"One element of this work is the ability of Border Force to impose a penalty on any individuals or companies found to be carrying illegal immigrants.

"All drivers entering into the UK, including those entering from France, must take simple steps to avoid illegal immigrants boarding, such as ensuring the vehicle remains locked and that compartments are secured. Failure to take these steps and ensure an effective system of security is in place can result in a fine of up to £2,000 for each clandestine found to be on board.

"Border Force provides advice, guidance and an online checklist for haulage companies on how to secure their vehicle. To help avoid penalties and improve security, companies can also apply for Border Force Accreditation."

Mr Tennant said his drivers often faced problems with immigrants attempting to get in their vehicles.

He said: "Our drivers say that people are constantly trying to get into the vehicles all the time.

"It could happen anywhere on the continent, particularly in Italy and France. The closer they to Calais the higher the risk of someone trying to get on. It goes without saying that our drivers do the checks. The furthest we go is Sweden and some of them can be abroad for up to two weeks."

The firm has 50 lorries and at any one time half of them are travelling across Europe.

On New Year's Eve police were called to the northbound Hilton Park Services on the M6 near Cannock after the discovery of two suspected illegal immigrants, a man and woman, in the back of a lorry by the driver.

The man ran off but the woman was taken into custody and the UK Border Force was informed.

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