29 Vietnamese found hiding in back of van

FOUR men have been charged with human trafficking after 29 Vietnamese stowaways were found in the back of a van on the M5.

Police stopped the van near Cullompton, Devon, on Friday morning after a group of men, women and children were seen climbing in the back from a boat.

Yesterday Frank Walling, 72, from Colne, Jon Ransom, 3, from Kent, Keith Royston Plummer, 2, from Sheerness and Glen Martin Bennett, 55, from Burnley, were charged with human trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act.

They were also charged with assisting unlawful immigration. The men have been remanded in custody and will appear before Truro magistrates’ court today.

Police were called before 7.10am on Friday to Newlyn in Cornwall after receiving reports a large group was seen piling into the back of a van after arriving on a boat.

Devon and Cornwall Police said: ‘The van and another vehicle were stopped by officers on the M5 near J28 just after 9am in which 29 men, women and children were located, all believed to be Vietnamese. Police and partners continue to take care of those located.’