hughman Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Just back from 6 weeks around Europe and nearly found ourselves people-smuggling. Spent Friday night at Cite Europe car park, as we have many times before. I spotted a lad eyeing up our bike rack (Busbiker hinged at corner of van, carrying 2 eBikes and covered with a big cover), and thought he might have been after bikes. Shouted and he disappeared. Very windy night so lots of noise. Left in morning after walking round van and doing visual check. Went through checkin and passport control, then stopped to turn off gas. When I opened up the bike rack to open the back door to get at the gas, I noticed it seemed very heavy to move, and then saw a bit of denim showing underneath the rack. Closed everything again, called a Eurotunnel official, and after some delay due to being in o-man's land, police arrived. When I removed the bike cover in their presence, we had 2 lads crouched on the carrier as passengers - probably Sudanese from the little they said. Handed over to police, and we went on after a bit of a delay doing 'paperwork'. We've used Cite Europe for years with no problem, but it looks as if, at least at the moment, it is being targeted by the people-smugglers. I'm still happy to stay there, as there are plenty of other vans usually, but will be very wary about using the bike cover there as it's an ideal hiding place. They nearly made it, poor sods 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Not really....they would have been discovered when you had the gas check and needed to swing out rack. I had a premonition of this the other week (have the same van/rack) when we were heading back from Italy, as we were heading for CDE car park but stayed in Belgium. Calais like motorway aires really worth avoiding! ( Sorry Calais ) One hell of a rack though :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 We have a built in anti trafficking device with our bike rack ;-)................ If two blokes climbed on it 8-)................................. The back of the van would fall off :D.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 I always knew that if we waited long enough the true advantage of an older van would emerge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 JudgeMental - 2014-09-01 7:49 AM One hell of a rack though :D Maybe they could incorporate all this in their advertising blurb..? "Able to carry two ebikes, along with two immigrants.." Good job it wasn't a Fiamma rack...it would've probably bent the doors and possibly broke, resulting in these chaps falling off and injuring themselves... Hugh' could've been faced with being sued !?... (lol) Good job that it was he who notified the authorities, I should imagine that it could've got a bit "messy" if it was them who found them(..possibly implicating Hugh'? :-S ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 BBC Business Live TRUCK WARNING 11:40: Trucks The Daily Mail reports that lorry drivers are being ordered to avoid the French port of Calais, because of confrontations with migrants - some of them armed - who are trying to get to Britain. The Times says Britons returning from summer holidays with caravans and motor-homes are also being targeted by groups of migrants trying to break into their vehicles. Looks like doors locked........ and pedal to the metal :D............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughman Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 pepe63 - 2014-09-01 10:30 AM JudgeMental - 2014-09-01 7:49 AM One hell of a rack though :D Good job that it was he who notified the authorities, I should imagine that it could've got a bit "messy" if it was them who found them(..possibly implicating Hugh'? :-S ) Yes, could have been tricky. The various authorities all stressed that they didn't think we were culpable in any way, but it very probably would have been a different matter if they had found the guys instead. What surprises me is how lax the checks are. Nobody looked at the van or checked the gas - all done by taking my word for it. I recall a few years ago, they were going round doing checks for explosives and all sorts, b ut now, nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 hughman - 2014-09-01 12:53 PM I recall a few years ago, they were going round doing checks for explosives and all sorts, b ut now, nothing. That's probably why the government has raised the terror threat to severe ;-)...............they know no ones watching our backdoor *-)................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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