Dozens of Illegal Immigrants Discovered at UK Port

Sixty-eight suspected illegal immigrants, including two pregnant women and 15 children, were discovered hidden in lorries at one of Britain's largest ports, officials said on Friday.

The group was found on Thursday night at Harwich International Port in eastern England during a search of four vehicles which had been on a ferry from the Hook of Holland in the Netherlands.

The East of England Ambulance Service said seven of the group were taken to hospital suffering from abdominal and chest pains and were feeling faint, although none was said to be in a life-threatening condition.

Local media reported two of them were pregnant. They were later released after treatment and all 68 - 35 Afghans, 22 Chinese, 10 Vietnamese and one Russian - were handed over to Border Agency officials.

"Polish nationals, who were driving the vehicles, have been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration," a Home Office spokesman said.

"They have been taken to separate police stations and will now be questioned by the Home Office's criminal investigations team while enquiries continue."

Britain has long faced the problem of immigrants attempting to illegally enter the country from Europe, often by hiding in trucks or lorries crossing the Channel from the French port of Calais.

Last August, 35 people suffering from dehydration and hypothermia were found inside a container at Tilbury Docks, London's major port on the River Thames. One later died.

In 2000, the bodies of 58 Chinese immigrants were found crammed in a truck at the southern port of Dover.

Reporting by Michael Holden