12 people in custody after being found in a lorry on the M25 in Surrey
Police alerted the Home Office after receiving calls those inside the vehicle were struggling to breathe
Last updated 1st Jul 2021
Eleven men and a woman are being held in custody after they were found in the back of a lorry on the M25 in Surrey.
The Home Office were informed by police at round midday on Thursday July 1 about the discovery between junctions 10 and 11 near Chertsey.
Two lanes of the motorway were closed for several hours while emergency services dealt with the situation.
Immigration Minister Chris Philp said:
"The government is tackling illegal immigration and the harm it causes, often to the most vulnerable people, by removing those with no right to be in the UK.
"We continue to work with law enforcement agencies and tackle illegal migration in all its forms. Our New Plan for Immigration will speed up the removal of those who have entered the UK illegally."