A British couple was slapped with a steep fine by U.K. authorities after multiple migrants broke into their van during a trip to France, according to reports.
Last November, Jane Cave and Ed Masters of Norfolk were returning home after an antique-hunting jaunt in France when they observed a man trying to climb into the back of their vehicle during a delay at the border crossing in Calais.
“I shouted, ‘Get out,’ which he duly did and ambled towards the rest of the car park,” Masters told the Telegraph.
The couple then cleared an inspection and passport check by French authorities before carrying onward into Britain.
While traveling along the A11 highway, they began hearing noises coming from the rear of their vehicle.
“We heard banging on the side. I wasn’t sure where it was coming from,” Masters said.
He pulled over to check the cargo hold and discovered a “dark, shortish” man who jumped out and ran away when the doors were opened.
Cave called police who arrived and quickly apprehended the illegal migrant, who was taken to a “temporary accommodation.”
Their vehicle was then searched for two hours before they were allowed to leave.
“[That] should have been done thoroughly at the border in Calais,” Masters said.
Incredibly, the couple received a letter from U.K. Border Force several months later chastising them for not securing their vehicle properly along with a fine for £3,000 ($4,000) for “unknowingly smuggling a migrant into the country,” according to the Telegraph.
“We all thought we had done the right thing in calling the British police and making them aware of the situation, little did I know of the aftermath of all this,” Masters said.
“If I had just dropped him in a lay-by and not notified them, we would be £3,000 better off. Utter madness.”
Masters says he and his wife have faced increased harassment from U.K. authorities when traveling internationally, including lengthy interrogations at multiple airports.
“We are fully committed to stopping people from illegally entering the country and cracking down on people smugglers,” the Home Office stated when asked for comment.
“The Clandestine Entrant Civil Penalty Scheme aims to ensure drivers are taking every reasonable step to deter irregular migration and disrupt people smugglers.”
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