The Brexit vote has made migrants even more desperate to reach the UK, according to the Freight Transport Association.
The FTA said migrants increasingly felt the need to act now before potential changes were made to border controls.
After a driver witnessed hundreds of migrants marched from trucks in the space of a few hours last week, the FTA said it was now calling for urgent action including moving the ‘Jungle’ camp away from the port.
Driver Tony Henderson, who works for Blair Transport, said his truck’s lock and seal were removed and replaced so 10 migrants could be hidden inside while he was parked at a secure lorry area 70 miles from Calais.
“This was organised people smuggling. The lock had been carefully cut behind the seal so it wasn’t visible and the lock and seal were then replaced,” he said. “At Calais I saw at least 200 migrants taken from trucks in three hours - it’s the worst I’ve ever seen, it was mayhem. They were being marched out in blocks. The French police were doing a great job, and were working flat out. But where does it all stop?”
When Henderson reached Calais after checking his lock and seal at the secure area, police pulled him over and found 10 Iranian men inside.
“No other industry would be expected to put up with these kinds of situations,” said FTA EU affairs manager Chris Yarsley. “As well as threats to their personal safety, drivers face fines of up to £2,000 per migrant found in trucks.”
The FTA said numbers at the Calais Jungle camp had swelled to over 7,000 - more than at the peak of last summer’s unrest.
Earlier this month, a night of violence at the camp resulted in one driver being threatened with a chainsaw and migrants setting fire to barricades.
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