Migrants leap from Spanish lorry at Sainsbury’s depot as criminals ‘exploit’ Border Force budget cuts – while 1,200 crossed in boats in SINGLE DAY
THE migrant crisis has taken a sinister new turn as smugglers resurrect the deadly lorry route into Britain, with nearly 6,000 stowaways caught hiding in trucks at Channel ports in a shocking 22% surge.
As small boat crossings hit record levels – with an astonishing 1,194 arriving in just ONE DAY last Saturday – desperate migrants are increasingly turning back to the perilous practice of hiding in HGVs, with 5,874 detected at continental ports in the past year alone.
The alarming figures expose how criminal gangs are exploiting every possible route into Britain, forcing migrants to risk their lives crammed into airless lorry compartments in scenes reminiscent of the 2019 Essex lorry tragedy that claimed 39 lives.
In dramatic footage that lays bare the scale of the crisis, dozens of migrants were caught on camera leaping from the back of a Spanish lorry at a Sainsbury’s distribution centre in South East London – with some as young as children handed to social services.
The Shocking Statistics
The surge in lorry smuggling represents a dangerous escalation in the migrant crisis:
- 5,874 migrants detected in HGVs at Channel ports in past year
- 22% increase from 4,794 caught in 2023
- Ports affected include Calais, Dunkirk and Channel Tunnel at Coquelles
- Real numbers likely MUCH higher as many reach Britain undetected
- Over 90% of those caught go on to claim asylum
The figures come as small boat crossings also soar:
- 14,811 arrivals so far in 2025
- 42% higher than same period last year
- Saturday saw record 1,194 arrive in just 18 boats
- French police filmed WATCHING migrants board boats
Dramatic Sainsbury’s Depot Scene
In shocking scenes that demonstrate how the crisis is spilling onto Britain’s streets, around a dozen migrants were caught bursting from a lorry at a Sainsbury’s distribution centre in Charlton, South East London.
A trucker who witnessed the chaos told The Sun: “A few of us were standing around the yard when a driver from an outside company delivering goods from Spain came in. He parked, opened the back door of his lorry up, and out came around a dozen immigrants.”
“They started running around the yard trying to get out, but they didn’t get very far. Someone from the office noticed and the managers came out and were trying to contain them all.”
Police arrested nine men while four others – shockingly all under 18 – were taken into care by social services, the Home Office confirmed.
Return to Deadly Lorry Route
The surge marks a terrifying return to the lorry smuggling route that was the primary method of illegal entry until 2018, when enhanced security made it harder and small boats took over.
But as boat crossings become increasingly scrutinised, smugglers are reverting to the deadly truck route despite:
- Enhanced perimeter fencing at ports
- Additional CCTV coverage
- More guards and dogs on patrol
- CO2 scanners to detect breathing
- Infrared motion detection
- Vehicle screening cameras
Midnight Cat and Mouse at Calais
GB News cameras captured the nightly game of cat and mouse at French ports, filming throughout the night as:
- Lone migrants and groups walked through lorry parks near Calais
- Young men checked trailers and attempted to jump aboard moving HGVs
- Migrants hid between trailers to avoid French police patrols
- Smugglers exploited gaps in security to get people aboard trucks
The footage reveals how thousands of migrants hang around Calais, Dunkirk and other ports, waiting for their chance to scale perimeter fences and climb aboard Britain-bound lorries.
French Police ‘Stand and Watch’
In a move that has infuriated British officials, French police were filmed on Saturday literally WATCHING as migrants boarded small boats at Gravelines beach between Calais and Dunkirk.
Defence Secretary John Healey blasted the scenes as “pretty shocking,” adding: “It’s a really big problem that French police are unable to intervene to intercept boats in shallow waters.
The French claim intervening once boats are in water could cause accidents – but critics say they’re simply waving migrants through to become Britain’s problem.
The Human Cost
The return to lorry smuggling raises terrifying memories of previous tragedies:
- 39 Vietnamese migrants found dead in Essex lorry in 2019
- 58 Chinese nationals died in Dover lorry in 2000
- Countless near-misses with migrants found unconscious from lack of oxygen
Recent deaths at Calais border include:
- May 19: Man dies off Boulogne-sur-Mer coast
- May 13: Eritrean man killed by truck in Marck
- April 22: Afghan man killed in knife attack
- March 24: Woman found dead on Marck beach
Criminal Gangs Cash In
The smuggling operations have become increasingly sophisticated:
- Gangs charge thousands for lorry passages
- Prices have “risen sharply” as security tightened
- WhatsApp groups coordinate movements
- Professional networks span multiple countries
- Brexit fears exploited to drum up business
One network caught last year had smuggled £104 million worth of migrants in just 11 months, using couriers paid £3,000 per trip.
Budget Cuts Blamed
Critics claim budget constraints on Border Force are being exploited by smugglers who know:
- Staff shortages mean fewer checks
- Technology gaps create vulnerabilities
- Focus on boats leaves lorry routes exposed
- Criminal gangs adapt faster than authorities
The crisis is costing taxpayers billions:
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- £15 billion estimated cost over 10 years
- £4 billion contracts for housing companies
- Equivalent to 73,000 A&E visits daily
‘Infrequent Phenomenon’ Promise Shattered
The government’s 2019 promise that illegal crossings would become an “infrequent phenomenon” now looks laughable as:
- 800,000-1.2 million illegal migrants estimated in UK
- Highest number in any European country
- 70,000 detected lorry entries since 2014
- Record boat crossings continue unabated
Labour’s Response Under Fire
The Labour government faces mounting pressure as their “smash the gangs” promise fails to materialise:
- Rwanda scheme scrapped on day one
- No reduction in crossings since election
- Border Force staff threatening strikes
- New legislation still crawling through Parliament
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The rise in dangerous Channel crossing is unacceptable. Not only are they an overt abuse of our immigration laws but they risk the lives of vulnerable people, who are being exploited by ruthless criminal gangs.
What Happens Next?
With smugglers exploiting every route and French authorities seemingly unwilling to help, Britain faces:
- More deaths as desperate migrants risk lorry journeys
- Continued record boat crossings
- Overwhelmed asylum system
- Spiralling costs for taxpayers
- Political pressure on Labour government
As one Migration Watch expert warned: “The model has shifted from avoiding detection to being happy to be picked up – they know once here, they’re unlikely to be removed.
The Grim Reality
Tonight, as darkness falls across the Channel, the deadly game will begin again:
- Migrants gathering at truck stops
- Smugglers scouting for vulnerable lorries
- Families risking children’s lives in airless containers
- Drivers unknowingly carrying human cargo
- Border Force stretched beyond breaking point
The message from the shocking figures is clear: far from being solved, Britain’s migrant crisis is evolving and escalating, with criminal gangs always one step ahead of authorities.
As lorries queue at Channel ports tonight, how many will unknowingly be carrying desperate human cargo? And how long before the next tragedy makes headlines?
The 5,874 detected may be just the tip of the iceberg. The real question is: how many more made it through?
Image credit: UK Border Force Calais 03 – Clandestine Leaving Lorry by UK Home Office, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0.
