39 dead bodies.

[Workingman]

All found in a lorry in Essex, one which was registered in Bulgaria to a company based in Northern Ireland.

Their country of origin and ethnicities are unknown. They arrived in Holyhead from port unknown, but suspected to be Dublin via Cherbourg, Roscoff or somewhere else. Their initial departure point(s) and final destination(s) are unknown. All we know is that they are dead. It is tragic and very sad.

How could this happen when we are told that we have the technology to have end-to-end tracking of every cargo on every vehicle? Was this lorry not checked at any point on its journey and how often is that the case?

Now what we are getting are the weasel words and phrases: "migrants" who are unable to "travel by conventional means" and that we all have a duty to "stop this trafficking of humans" and to put the traffickers "in jail". It's sickening.

I'll tell you how to stop the trafficking. First, start by calling these people what most of them are: bogus asylums seekers and / or illegal immigrants. If they came from anywhere other than a place with a direct sea border with the British Isles then they have acted illegally. The same goes for Europe. Second, once they land round them up and send them straight back to their last known point of departure, every single one - no questioning and no processing. It came out last week that of all the hundreds of those picked up in the channel only six had been returned. Make the sending back very public using BBC World Service, adverts in the countries most likely to be the starting points, YouTube and other social media. Send the message out that paying to get in illegally is a dangerous waste of money and will fail and you might just put a few traffickers out of business and save lives in the process.

Being "nice" and "reasonable" is patently not working.

[cromwell]

Ten years ago a Chinese work colleague told me that Ireland was the destination of choice to get into the EU for Chinese "students".
The pansification of language upsets me too.
They aren't "migrants" or "undocumented aliens" they are illegal immigrants, end of.

[TheOstrich]

The BBC stated the refrigerated container lorry was shipped from Zeebrugge to Purfleet in Essex and about an hour later arrived at the trading estate in Grays where it was opened and the deaths discovered. Not quite sure about the Holyhead connection, Frank.

Local people interviewed said it was common practice for illegals to disembark from lorries on or around that trading estate. One said that once the illegals, not speaking English, gave him (or a mate, unclear) a mobile phone and he was connected to someone who asked him to take the illegals to an address in London.

Surely the authorities must know about this "route" but I guess they simply have no resources to deal with it. Yet a recent population forecast tells us that it is expected we will pass the 70 million mark within 12 years, and the BBC says that because of (the word we've all promised not to use on this forum ), we will no longer be able to work with Interpol or whatever to curb the people traffickers.

I fully agree with the OP that illegals should be deported back from the last country they were in, preferably within 12 hours, but then you've got to drive a coach and horses through asylum and human rights legislation, and we all know that the ass that calls itself the law is now the most powerful and all-pervading agency in this country.

So basically it's a complete mess. But then what isn't, these days?

[Workingman]

Not quite sure about the Holyhead connection, Frank.

Ossie, that is what had been reported on the 'conjecture' channels all day. They even had government spokeswonks confirming it and long discussions about it. It was only in the evening that Zeebrugge came out.

I agree with your law and human rights observations, but I would also throw in that the hand-wringing brigades are almost as much a part of the problem as the traffickers. Their well-intended actions (in their minds) are more like those of enablers rather than those with a solution.

I also think that we need a root and branch in-depth look into how these people get 'identification' which allows them access to benefits, bank accounts, accommodation, jobs, NHS and the likes. It looks as though there are millions of bogus NI numbers out there, yet surely the government must know which ones "it" has produced and handed out.

[medsec222]

Ossie, that is what had been reported on the 'conjecture' channels all day. They even had government spokeswonks confirming it and long discussions about it. It was only in the evening that Zeebrugge came out.

I agree with your law and human rights observations, but I would also throw in that the hand-wringing brigades are almost as much a part of the problem as the traffickers. Their well-intended actions (in their minds) are more like those of enablers rather than those with a solution.

I also think that we need a root and branch in-depth look into how these people get 'identification' which allows them access to benefits, bank accounts, accommodation, jobs, NHS and the likes. It looks as though there are millions of bogus NI numbers out there, yet surely the government must know which ones "it" has produced and handed out.

Exactly, we need to pull out all the stops to secure our borders. And those hand-wringers are merely colluding with the human traffickers by suggesting illegal immigrants should be allowed to remain in this county. Ultimately they must take some measure of responsibility by giving hope to those who wish to enter the country. If strong action isn't taken by the UK it will soon be almost impossible to stem of tide of illegal immigration. Sorry if that sounds harsh.

[cromwell]

It doesn't sound harsh to me. But the truth is that there is no political will to halt illegal immigration.
Every effort is made instead to try and engender sympathy for illegal immigrants.

[saundra]

It's a tragedy for all concerned
No id either
And if it's true the driver knows nothing about them in his lorry a nightmare for him I so hope they can be identified and there families can be told

[victor]

Deport illegals as soon as they are found -no faffing about-next plane or boat out

[saundra]

Deport illegals as soon as they are found -no faffing about-next plane or boat out

I agree Victor but in this instance it's how they died that upsets me we don't have the room or .Only to keep taking them in

[AliasAggers]

Deport illegals as soon as they are found -no faffing about-next plane or boat out

That is the only sensible way of dealing with this problem, in my opinion.