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UK immigration officers overwhelmed by illegal 'lorry drops', report finds UK immigration officers overwhelmed by illegal 'lorry drops', report finds
(35 minutes later)
A surge in the number of people entering Britain illegally in the backs of lorries kept Home Office staff so busy last year that other immigration enforcement activities, such as tackling human trafficking, were almost completely halted in parts of England, an official watchdog has revealed.A surge in the number of people entering Britain illegally in the backs of lorries kept Home Office staff so busy last year that other immigration enforcement activities, such as tackling human trafficking, were almost completely halted in parts of England, an official watchdog has revealed.
David Bolt, the independent inspector of borders and immigration, said the number of people who entered Britain in the back of lorries had risen threefold from 2,411 in 2014 to 6,429 in 2015, according to the first official indication of the scale of last summer’s surge in clandestine migration to the UK. David Bolt, the independent inspector of borders and immigration, said the number of people who entered Britain in the back of lorries had risen threefold, from 2,411 in 2014 to 6,429 in 2015, the first official indication of the scale of last summer’s surge in clandestine migration to the UK.
His report reveals that while Home Office staff coped with last summer’s surge in ‘lorry drops’ it came at the expense of other investigations including those against organised crime gangs involved in human trafficking, illegal working and sham marriages. His report reveals that although Home Office staff coped with last summer’s surge in “lorry drops”, it came at the expense of other investigations including those against organised crime gangs involved in human trafficking, illegal working and sham marriages.
Bolt said this surge meant that in the second half of 2015 in at least three areas – Kent and Sussex, the east of England, and the east Midlands – little other operational activity was conducted. He warned that further difficulties could occur if Britain faced a similar surge in people entering the country illegally this summer. Bolt said the surge meant that in the second half of 2015 in at least three areas – Kent and Sussex, the east of England and the east Midlands – little other operational activity was conducted. He said further difficulties could occur if Britain faced a similar surge in people entering the country illegally this summer.
In his report he said most of the migrants encountered ‘in-country’ had entered concealed in or on a heavy goods vehicle and had left the vehicle at its first stopping-point in the UK. In his report he said most of the migrants encountered “in-country” had entered concealed in or on a heavy goods vehicle and had left the vehicle at its first stopping point in the UK.
“This form of clandestine entry is commonly referred to as a ‘lorry drop’. Although there is no such thing as a typical ‘lorry drop’, in the period under review most of the migrants encountered were males under the age of 30, originating from Eritrea, Iran, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan,” he said. “This form of clandestine entry is commonly referred to as a lorry drop. Although there is no such thing as a typical lorry drop, in the period under review most of the migrants encountered were males under the age of 30, originating from Eritrea, Iran, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan,” he said.
A Home Office spokesman said the report acknowledged that the summer of 2015 saw extraordinary pressures as a result of the EU migration crisis. A Home Office spokesman said the report acknowledged that the summer of 2015 had seen extraordinary pressures as a result of the EU migration crisis. He said tens of millions of pounds had been invested in extra security at the French ports and a new international effort was being made to target human trafficking gangs.
He said that tens of millions of pounds had been invested in extra security at the French ports and a new international effort was being made to target human trafficking gangs. “There are clear signs that our approach is working; between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016, this has resulted in the disruption of 185 criminal networks involved in organised immigration crime,” he said. “There are clear signs that our approach is working: between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016, this has resulted in the disruption of 185 criminal networks involved in organised immigration crime,” the spokesman said.
Contingency measures being taken in Kent included the provision of two mobile detention facilities and mobile welfare units, including supplying welfare packs to feed and clothe new arrivals.Contingency measures being taken in Kent included the provision of two mobile detention facilities and mobile welfare units, including supplying welfare packs to feed and clothe new arrivals.
The chief inspector of border’s report was published as ministers announced the closure of the controversial Cedars pre-departure accommodation centre near Gatwick airport which was used to house families facing deportation from Britain. Bolt’s report was published as ministers announced the closure of the Cedars pre-departure accommodation centre near Gatwick airport, which was used to house families facing deportation from Britain. The centre was forecast to cost £6.4m last year but held only 14 families in its first nine months.
The closure of the centre follows critical reports showing that the centre was forecast to cost £6.4m last year but only held 14 families in its first nine months. The Refugee Council described a decision to use a “discrete unit” instead at nearby Tinsley House immigration removal centre as a “troubling retrograde step” on the basis that it was even less well equipped to care for children. The Cedars was operated in conjunction with Barnardos, the children’s charity. The Refugee Council said the decision to use a “discrete unit” at nearby Tinsley House immigration removal centre instead was a “troubling, retrograde step”, on the basis that it was even less well equipped to care for children. The Cedars was operated in conjunction with Barnardos, the children’s charity.
Cabinet Office ministers also announced on Thursday that an estimated 5,500 public sector staff who are required to speak to the public are to be given training to ensure they can speak fluent English or Welsh. Cabinet Office ministers also announced on Thursday that an estimated 5,500 public sector staff whose jobs require them to speak to the public are to be given training to ensure they can speak fluent English or Welsh.
The £5.8m programme is being implemented as a result of a Conservative party manifesto commitment and will cover public sector staff such as Department of Work and Pensions ‘work coaches’, council customer service staff and teaching assistants in schools. The Cabinet Office said that BBC journalists were exempted from the requirement on the grounds they had only limited interaction with members of the public. The £5.8m programme is being implemented as a result of a Conservative party manifesto commitment and will cover public sector staff such as Department of Work and Pensions work coaches, council customer service staff and teaching assistants in schools. The Cabinet Office said BBC journalists were exempted from the requirement on the grounds that they had only limited interaction with members of the public.