Four migrants arrested at Rosyth '˜trying to enter UK'

FOUR migrants, understood to be from India, were arrested at Rosyth Docks as they tried to enter the UK in the back of a lorry.

The four males travelled from Zeebrugge to Rosyth on the Finlandia Seaways ferry. File picture: Contributed

Four males remain in detention after apparently stowing away on board a container ship which arrived in Fife late on Thursday last week.

The group, who are understood to be from India, were subsequently discovered hiding in the back of a lorry in the early hours of Friday morning during routine checks.

All four, believed to be three adults and a male under the age of 18, were picked up by Police Scotland on behalf of the UK’s Border Force and were briefly held at Dunfermline Police Station before being transferred to the Dungavel Detention Centre in Lanarkshire.

While the attempt to enter the country was foiled by officials, the incident has sparked renewed concerns about the various lengths migrants are going to in order to find a new life in Britain.

A spokesperson for the UK Border Agency confirmed the incident and said: “Four people were found in the back of a lorry at Rosyth docks on Friday, June 3, at approximately 1 am.

“All four individuals were detained by Police Scotland, on behalf of Border Force.

“They remain in detention whilst removal is pursued.”

The cargo ship in question was the Finlandia Seaways, sailing under the Lithuanian flag, which regularly travels between Zeebrugge in Belgium and the Fife port of Rosyth.

Now the Home Office and security officials at Rosyth are investigating how the men managed to get on board the vessel, and are specifically looking to see what help they had – if any – from staff in Zeebrugge or fellow travellers.

With French authorities cracking down on refugee camps at Calais, it is thought many migrants determined to come to the UK have now turned their attention to the likes of Belgium as an alternative route in.

The latest figures from 2014/15 suggest that 468 people were stopped while trying to enter Britain illegally using either Scottish or Northern Irish ports, although the UK Border Agency has said it is determined to stamp out the practice.

However, the latest incident has heightened awareness of the issue at all UK ports and particularly at Rosyth, which has been targeted a number of times in the past.

Eight eastern Europeans were detained at the Fife ferry terminal back in 2004 after trying to enter the country illegally.

On that occasion, the eight Moldovan men were found hiding in a transport container having travelled from their home through Italy to Zeebrugge.

The Scotsman’s EU Referendum page: Keep up to date with latest news, polls and features.

DOWNLOAD THE SCOTSMAN APP ON ITUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY