International summit to address threat of human trafficking as report reveals unfair fines and evolving smuggling routes

The upcoming Road Haulage Association (RHA) International Summit on Human Trafficking and Border Security in Road Transport couldn't be more timely, the public perception maybe that the issues with migrants in trucks has gone away with the focus on small boats, but the reality is the problem hasn't gone away, and should the UK ever actually manage to stop the small boats, for sure the organised trafficking gangs will turn their attention fully to trucks again.

The RHA recently put out a call for its members who are international hauliers to respond to a survey aimed at assessing how much people smuggling is still affecting their businesses. The survey, which is being carried out by analysis firm Analytiqa, is looking at the frequency of migrant stowaway activity on trucks and the rate at which loads are spoilt or damaged as a result within the inbound UK supply chain.

The reality of the issue is not only confined to the short straight's routes used by the small boat gangs who now operate in plain site without impunity, hence less reliance on hiding in trucks for the moment but also the longer ferry routes.

We have been contacted this week by a large Spanish operator who is very focussed on reducing the carbon emissions of their business to the UK, reducing the number of miles travelled by trucks by sending trailers unaccompanied directly on the ferries from Spain to UK. A regular problem will see a sealed trailer being dropped securely inside the departure port in Spain, all security checks having been made. On arrival in UK, the authorities check the trailer, often finding the seal has been broken and some migrants are inside, having got in at some point in the port or even on the ferry itself, the rules then determine that the haulier is liable to be fined because the seal was broken. The cost to that particular business runs to 6 figures annually trying to defend itself against the fines-imposed by the UK Clandestine Entrant Civil Penalty Scheme. Typical of many operators they are being forced to add millions of extra truck miles per year by sending trailers driver accompanied via the Channel Tunnel, which in their experience provides the most secure pre embarkment area at a huge cost to the operation and obviously not ideal for reducing emissions but security is taking a priority.

The Motor Transport reports that Albanian people smuggling gangs have been using TikTok to advertise a smuggling route using lorries travelling by ferry from Santander to Portsmouth, at a cost of £14,000 per person. TikTok has since removed the videos which claimed that border post security is less stringent at Santander and Portsmouth than at the busier ports and that the route is less dangerous than crossing the Channel in small boats. The immigration investigator added that tightened security at ports in France has seen gangs targeting routes to Portsmouth and Poole.

Alongside our event we will be publishing the most comprehensive report to date on this subject.