Nine men arrested on suspected immigration offences after being found in lorry in Staffordshire
Nine people were arrested after a lorry was found to have eight people inside who police suspect had entered the UK illegally.
Officers from Staffordshire Police had been called to a layby off the A460 near Featherstone on Thursday afternoon after reports of suspicious activity and, upon inspection, found eight men in the back of the lorry.
The driver was subsequently arrested on suspicion of a breach of UK immigration law, while the eight men were arrested on suspicion of knowingly enter the UK without leave, with all nine men currently remaining in custody for questioning.
A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "Nine people have been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences after we searched a lorry in south Staffordshire.
"We were called at 2.50pm today to a layby off the A460 in Featherstone following reports of suspicious activity in the back of a lorry.
"Officers attended the scene and found eight men in the back of the vehicle.
"A 62-year-old man, of no fixed address, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to do an act to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law.
"Eight men, aged between 19 and 37, of no fixed address, were arrested on suspicion of knowingly enter the UK without leave.
"They all remain in custody for questioning."
