We always check ours before boarding and don't leave it unattended near the ports.
It seems unfair that the couple were fined when they did the right thing and called police.
This sort of publicity would make people disinclined to call and just let the illegal go.
Post last edited on 10/03/2025 13:31:41
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
Never taken the caravan abroad as yet, but have towed horse boxes and camping trailers with a LWB Landrover numerous times, and we are vigilant when we park up, and give it all a pretty good check over before heading to ferry.
Last few years on our trips, there has been a decent Police presence around the car park outside the port at Ouistreham, which I think helps a lot. Once inside the port compound, security is pretty tight and plenty of roving patrols, often with dogs.
But I suspect we may carry our own deterrent - 4 or 5 blokes all 6ft plus, 14-18 St, 'built like nightclub bouncers' as we are frequently told, probably make us look like BAD people to be messing with if we find you!
I suspect a lot of the higher risk, is stopping somewhere on the approaches to the port, where policing and security is much less! We always make a point of getting into the well policed areas before parking up.
The law is designed to stop people being complicit in smuggling, and to that end seems fit for purpose, but it does make too casual an attitude to your personal checks a big risk. TBH, not overly sympathetic, any half decent check would have found him before boarding ferry! Suspect they were relying on border control officers at ports to do their checks for them!
For the past 2 years when I took the van across to Europe, I used the tunnel and did not stop anywhere near Calais to avoid the risk of illegal immigrants breaking into the van or hiding underneath or on the roof etc...
I chose the last stops in France away from Calais with a reasonably big supermarket close to the camp site, so that I could do a grocery shop before driving to the Channel Tunnel.
At the tunnel coming back for both trips, UK Border Police asked to see the back of the van, checking the bathroom as well as to check no one was hiding in the drop down bed; and did not care about the food and drink that I was bringing back.
DK
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The link in the original post did not work for me, however, I managed to find it via CAMC's message board and BBC News.
No bike rack on my van, so it is the roof, underneath the van or inside the van.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 10/3/2025
The link in the original post did not work for me, however, I managed to find it via CAMC's message board and BBC News.
No bike rack on my van, so it is the roof, underneath the van or inside the van.
DK
Likewise with the Landy and trailers, absolutely massive risk really. Huge roofrack with gear on it and covered by a tarp. Landy has enough ground clearance someone could cling on underneath, camping trailer big enough to conceal a body, even 3 or 4 in the horsebox! Even the back of the Landy, if some of it's jam packed contents disposed of, you could get two people in there out of sight. Old Landys hardly have the most secure locks, and the trailers none.
We never had a problem, and the 'risks' were all around us and eyeing every opportunity, we simply kept up our vigilance, and did appropriate 'in our best interests/self preservation' checks before submitting ourselves to official checking at the ports. Didn't seem like rocket science to us, just the blindingly obvious precautions when the risks were known and obviously present!
With the additional 80L+ fresh and 45L+ grey water tanks, and all the pipes/exhausts as part of the van's conversion, there is not a lot of room underneath the van, and I have to be very careful with the clearance.
I scraped and damaged the water tank once already, now repaired and reinforced, don't want that to happen again!
Not much room on the roof with the bathroom fan, air con, TV ariel and MiFi antenna, and I am able to see the top of the van for an extra body.
Other than that, my main risk minimisation measure is to avoid stopping within 30 to 50 km from the ports in Calais.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I wonder how the authorities can prove the stowaway didn’t get onto the bike rack whilst it was parked on the vehicle deck? Or after it arrived in the UK? It seems terribly unfair, I believe another couple were fined for turning up at the UK customs point in France before even getting onto the ferry with a stowaway in their trailer.
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
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It's great isn't it. A couple are fined for innocently and unknowingly bringing one illegal migrant into the country. The latest figures for small boat crossings this year up to the 12th June was just over 15,000. It's good to prioritise where to spend recourses to keep control of our borders. 😡😡
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Topic: Check your vehicle before boarding ferry.
via mobile 10/3/2025 at 12:08pm
