One person has been charged with assisting unlawful entry into the UK after six people were found in the back of a lorry at a ferry port in Sussex.
Police had arrested two men in connection with the incident at Newhaven port in East Sussex on Friday. One was detained on suspicion of people smuggling and the other on suspicion of entering the UK illegally. The six people discovered in the lorry were taken to hospital. No deaths have been reported by Sussex police.
The Home Office has not named the person charged. On Saturday, a spokesperson for the department said: “Border Force, immigration enforcement and emergency services continue to investigate an incident in Newhaven on Friday 16 February. An individual has been charged with assisting unlawful entry into the UK. While the investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
The incident prompted a major response from the emergency services; ambulances, police and Border Force officials all attended.
Martin Sinnock, whose home overlooks the entrance to Newhaven harbour, said on Friday: “I heard the air ambulance helicopter shortly after the ferry arrived.
“I watched it circle the area and land on the ferry quayside. I could see a large emergency services presence. There had been no announcement locally that there was an exercise taking place, so I immediately suspected that there had been an incident on the ferry.”