Migrant Films Perilous Journey Under Moving Lorry to Enter UK
A man, suspected to be a migrant, has filmed himself in a highly dangerous position, hanging underneath a fast-moving lorry with his head mere inches from the road surface, while boasting about successfully sneaking into England. The alarming video clip, shared on the social media platform TikTok, depicts the young individual wedged into the vehicle's undercarriage, his legs wrapped around a pole and his upper body floating perilously close to the ground as the lorry travels at speed along a main road.
Dual Videos Showcase Smuggling Methods and Celebrations
Another clip posted on the same day from the identical account shows a different man latching onto a stationary lorry by slotting himself between the front and rear sections of the vehicle. The footage then cuts to a scene where a man takes selfies in a mirror, celebrating in what appears to be a taxpayer-funded hotel room, complete with modern furnishings and a luxury shower. Both videos are captioned with British flag emojis and messages such as 'And finally, my brother did it, England welcomes' and 'Receive brother, from within England'.
This content emerges against a backdrop of an apparent increase in migrants utilising lorries and cars to clandestinely enter Britain, opting for this method over the treacherous small boat journeys across the English Channel. Typically, individuals stowing away in lorries board them in northern France and remain concealed until the vehicle crosses into the United Kingdom.
Online Reactions and Smuggling Techniques Revealed
The two clips garnered numerous messages of adoration and support from followers. Comments included 'congratulations', descriptions of the man as a 'hero', and well-wishes like 'Good health to you, my brother' and 'Praise be to Allah for the safety'. One follower remarked, 'The intention is pure and the dome is white'.
The method of entering Britain via lorry from France, reportedly pioneered by Albanian criminal gangs, was described by a convicted people smuggler as 'easy' and 'low risk'. This technique involves the smuggler sneaking their client onto a ferry inside a car boot. Once on the car deck, the migrant exits the vehicle and accesses a lorry, often by cutting through tarpaulin. An associate in the UK then tracks the lorry using its number plate, collecting the migrant after it stops. Lorry drivers remain unaware but face fines up to £10,000 if a stowaway is discovered.
This smuggling method was detailed last year on a BBC podcast by 'Nick', a former British Army soldier who worked for an Albanian gang.
Recent Celebratory Footage from Suspected Migrants
The new lorry videos follow closely after different footage posted on TikTok showed individuals thought to be small boat migrants celebrating their arrival in Britain with a party in a suspected taxpayer-funded hotel room. The clip features around ten people gathered in a room with a buffet of popcorn, biscuits, sliced bananas, bottled water, glasses of Pepsi, and cans of Irn-Bru laid out on a bath towel. Participants, barefoot and smiling, filmed the event on their phones.
Overlaid text included emojis of upturned palms, the UK flag, and a party face, alongside the Arabic phrase 'alhamdulillah' (praise be to God). The Daily Mail noted it could not verify the video's location or timing. Home Office sources emphasised the footage showed no 'malicious activity' and no evidence it depicted asylum seekers or accommodation.
The video was posted by a TikTok account belonging to a Sudanese man believed to be named Abubaker, whose profile suggests he travelled to the UK from Africa after residing in Egypt for five years.
