Police check trains for undocumented migrants

17 undocumented migrants were taken into custody on Sunday in the course of massive police checks focused on railway station platforms and trains. The police say that more and more people-traffickers and undocumented migrants are using the railway network to access motorway carparks where migrants are put onto lorries bound for the United Kingdom.

Police plans to carry out checks at the Maximillian Park in Brussels, favoured by migrants, were refocused on Sunday. The 17 people detained were handed over to the immigration department.

In recent months people-traffickers opted to ferry undocumented migrants to motorway carparks using public transport including the bus and the train. There the migrants attempt to stow away on a lorry bound for the UK. One such carpark is the E40 carpark at Groot-Bijgaarden outside Brussels. Here several police officers were attacked last week.

Home minister Jambon still has to decide whether further similar checks are to be held. After news of the planned checks leaked protesters gathered at the North Station and the Maximilian Park to protest against the asylum minister's policies.
 

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