1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136 
Gas-attack mystery still unresolved
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
TRUCKPOL SAYS GAS attacks on sleeping drivers remain a myth, despite claims the problem is worsening in some European countries.
DC Alan Soames, head of the crime intelligence unit, says there has never been any evidence to suggest drivers have been gassed so a theft can take place or to enable stowaways to sneak into a trailer.
Soames' comments come as Midlands haulage company Europe Logistics investigates claims by a subcontractor that he is still suffering side effects after being gassed in Waastmunster, Belgium, by two Iraqi illegal immigrants last Thursday night. They are understood to have boarded the trailer before being discovered by a UK Border Agency sniffer dog in Calais.The driver could be fined 12,000 per clandestine.
DC Soames says embarrassment is prompting truck drivers to claim they have been attacked in this way. "There has been no medical proof so far. [European Law Enforcement Agency] Europol has done some research and were of the same opinion that they didn't believe it's actually happening."
But drivers have hit out at DC Soames. comments. One tells CM: "It's happening. particularly in Holland. Rotterdam. Bruges; all the port areas—certainly truckstops in Be1gium:111e re's been increased security there because of the likelihood of gassings. or attack."