More illegals found in Flemish ports
Flanders News
Sun 22/07/07
– No fewer than 763 illegal immigrants heading for the United Kingdom were detained at Flemish sea ports during the first six months of this year. The figures are 12% up on the same period last year.
The West Flemish port of Zeebrugge was responsible for the lion's share of the increase. Six out of ten of would-be the stowaways detained were trying to reach the U.K. via Zeebrugge.
The vast majority of those trying to reach Britain illegally through Flemish ports come from Afghanistan and the former Soviet Union.
Fourteen people believed to be involved in human trafficking have been detained in recent months.
Tighter checks in Ostend
Along the coast in Ostend, the authorities' get tough policy on illegal immigrants using the port to reach the U.K. seems to
have produced results.
The number of illegal immigrants found in trucks waiting to board ferries at the port has fallen by 72% since the stricter security measures were introduced two years ago.
Despite the big improvements in security at our ports, 25 illegal immigrants that had entered the U.K. from Belgium were detained by the British authorities between January and June of this year.
