Calais blamed for stowaways TNT scoops CM award
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• A Welsh haulier has slammed French police and Customs officials after 11 illegal immigrants were discovered in one of his trailers in Dover last weekend.
Dai Owen, owner of Caerwys-based Owens Transport, says security must be tightened on the other side of the Channel if the flood of stowaways is to be stemmed. "One of my drivers picked up a load of groupage in Cormano, near Milan, on Friday 6 November," says Owen. "He then drove through France and stopped overnight at Langres before going on to Calais." When the artic arrived at Dover, Customs officials discovered 11 illegal immigrants in the 13.6m trailer. Owen says: "They split the top sheet and got in; they were found lying among the pallets. Our driver had no clues to suggest there was anybody in the trailer." Owen adds that the driver was then cautioned by a Customs official. "Something really has to be done about this," he says. "If you go to Calais you can see illegal immigrants walking all over the place. Drivers have so many responsibilities without things like this happening."
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If the situation were to be reversed, he concludes, the French "would be on to our police to tighten up their act".
Calais: Sloppy security.