Driver arrested and 13 people detained after police swarm the M40

A lorry driver has been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences after roughly 15 police vehicles swarmed the motorway following reports that a number of people were travelling in the back of a HGV

01:41, 12 Dec 2025

View 2 ImagesLorry driver arrested after police stopped vehicle with 13 people travelling in the back (Image: Google Maps )

A driver has been arrested after police swopped a lorry on a busy UK motorway. Thames Valley Police [1] stormed the motorway after receiving reports that a 'number of people' were travelling in the back of a HGV.

The force took to the M40 [2] on the morning of Thursday, December 11 and stopped the vehicle. They have confirmed that as well as arresting the driver, 13 other people have been detained.

Officers from TVP were called to the M40 in Oxfordshire just before 10am. Other motorists claimed that nearly 15 police cars were at the scene between junction 9 and junction 20, near Bicester, as delays were caused.

Witnesses said that they could see that police detained several people from the lorry [3], according to the Oxford Mail [4].

View 2 ImagesAround 15 police cars rushed to the scene (Image: South Wales Echo)

The force have confirmed that the lorry driver was arrested on suspicion of immigration [5] offences. A TVP spokesperson said: "We received a report today (December 11) at 9.53am of a number of people in the back of a lorry travelling on the M40 between junctions 9 and 10.

"The vehicle was stopped, and 13 people were detained. The driver was arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.

"The investigation is ongoing, and we are working with closely with our partners in the Home Office."

As the incident unfolded there were long delays on the M40.

Two lanes were shut as police attended the scene on the motorway that connects London, Oxford and Birmingham.

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At the time National Highways said the closure was due to a police-led incident and urged drivers to expects congestion and leave extra time for any journeys that involved travelling on the M40.

As well as police officers, eyewitnesses claimed that riot vans were also in attendance.

An ambulance was also called to the scene.

References

^ Thames Valley Police (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ M40 (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ detained several people from the lorry (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ Oxford Mail (www.oxfordmail.co.uk)
^ immigration (www.mirror.co.uk)