Migrants Found in Lorry as UK Faces Shift in Smuggling Tactics

Seven migrants were discovered hiding in the back of a lorry in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, on Thursday, an incident that underscores a shift in tactics by people traffickers who are reportedly moving away from small boat crossings in favor of HGVs. Police were alerted around 3:25 p.m. to concerns about a lorry parked on Britannia Road.

Upon arrival, officers surrounded the vehicle, and a man wearing a high-visibility vest opened the rear doors. Video footage from the scene shows individuals, believed to be migrants, crawling out of the lorry. They appeared to be wearing tracksuits and hooded jackets. Hertfordshire Police confirmed that seven people were found inside the lorry and subsequently detained. The driver, a man in his 30s, was arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry.

Security sources suggest an increase in migrants attempting to reach the UK by concealing themselves in lorries and other vehicles. Some are reportedly trying to board moving trucks or cut through vehicle roofs to avoid detection. This trend comes as increased beach patrols and adverse weather have led to a 45% reduction in small boat arrivals compared to the same period last year.

However, figures indicate that over 200,000 migrants have arrived in the UK via the English Channel since 2018. Data from the BBC shows that in 2025, 5,874 vehicle-borne stowaways were detected in French ports, an increase from 4,794 in 2023. Border Force utilizes intelligence-led screening rather than manually checking every vehicle entering the UK.

An insider told GB News that while the focus is on the small boat crisis, attempts by migrants to board lorries have persisted. "It's not the major crisis it was almost a decade ago before the smugglers switched much of their attention to the use of dinghies, but it remains a persistent problem," the source stated. They added that the exact number of undetected illegal migrants reaching British shores is unknown, as individuals who slip through border checks can easily disappear into the population.

Figures released in May showed that just over a third of the more than 200,000 migrants who crossed the English Channel since 2018 arrived under the Labour government, which took power in July 2024. The remaining two-thirds made the journey during the Conservative governments preceding it.

Successive governments have pursued strategies to disrupt crossings, including agreements with French authorities. In April, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a three-year deal with France, committing £662 million to support beach patrols. Ms. Mahmood is also working to reform the asylum system, proposing measures such as temporary refugee status to deter crossings and facilitate easier deportations. The current Labour government previously scrapped a deal with Rwanda to send Channel crossers to the east African nation, a move that has led to legal disputes with Rwanda seeking over £100 million in damages, which the UK denies owing.