Thirteen migrants have been arrested after a group of suspected migrants was seen emerging from a lorry at Toddington Services on the M1 in Bedfordshire. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a group of men and women were filmed walking through the service station before heading towards the motorway exit.
In a video, the lorry driver approaches the group and asks how they arrived, with one individual confirming they had climbed out of the truck. The driver then challenges them, telling them they should 'go home.' The group subsequently left the service station on foot.
Bedfordshire Police were alerted at around 1.45pm and later arrested 13 men and women at nearby Harlington Rail Station on suspicion of immigration offences. A police spokesperson said the individuals were taken into custody, and the investigation has been passed to Immigration Enforcement.
The arrests come amid ongoing efforts to curb illegal migration. Over 41,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats in 2025, a 13% increase on the previous year. The UK-France 'one in, one out' scheme, which came into force on August 6, 2025, allows for the immediate detention and return of small boat arrivals to France.
Meanwhile, 80 asylum seekers detained at Harmondsworth immigration removal centre have written to UN bodies, alleging 'fear, humiliation and psychological distress' under the scheme. A Home Office spokesperson said they do not recognise the claims and emphasised that protecting the UK border is their top priority.
