Twelve people found ‘in back of lorry’ on major Essex road

A total of thirteen people have been arrested after a number of men and women were found “in the back of a lorry” on a busy road between Chelmsford and Braintree.

Essex Police were called to Essex Regiment Way shortly after 9am on June 21 following concern for a group of people inside the vehicle. The individuals, five women and seven men, all received medical assessment and were deemed safe and well.

An eyewitness to the incident said they saw “around eight police cars, [a] motorbike and two undercover police cars” at the scene. It’s believed the vehicle was in a lay-by close to the Park and Ride facility on Essex Regiment Way.

The twelve people who were found inside the vehicle have been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences. A 54-year-old man from Peterborough was also arrested on suspicion of facilitating the commission of a breach of UK immigration law. He has since been released on bail whilst enquiries continue.

Anyone with information about this incident or other incidents are encouraged to contact Essex Police. Visit www.essex.police.uk/digital101 to find out more about our website reporting services. Alternatively, you can call on 101. In an emergency always call 999.