Mr Straw, who is seeking to stem an influx especially from eastern Europe, said he was going ahead with controversial plans to fine drivers £2,000 if stowaways are found on their trucks.

The BBC's Andrew Bomford: "Illegal immigrants are increasingly turning to lorries as their way into Britain"

Writing in the News of the World, Mr Straw said almost 5,000 people were found hidden in lorries in the first eight months of 1998.

But furious lorry drivers have dismissed the idea as "unworkable" and "outrageous".

They said it was impossible for them to guard against determined stowaways, many of whom are thought to come under the aegis of organised crime gangs.

Daniel Hodges of the Road Hauliers' Association: "The proposals are outrageous and unworkable"

"We believe these proposals are as unworkable as they are outrageous," said Daniel Hodges, the spokesman for the Road Haulage Assocation.

Truckers 'criminalised'

He told BBC News 24 the measures would not solve the problem of illegal immigration and would "effectively criminalise" lorry drivers.

"They will place an unnecessary financial burden upon our members and ultimately they will lead to tension between our members and immigrants themselves which is something we wish to avoid at all costs," he said.

He said no amount of checking would prevent determined illegal immigrants from hiding in lorries and that drivers would then be obliged to prove their innocence, which Mr Hodges described as "a total reversal of natural justice".

Hiding in container

Last week more than 100 people travelling without documents were discovered in a container at Dartford in Kent.

Many illegal immigrants are simply fleeing poverty

Mr Straw said: "In some cases drivers have deliberately risked lengthy jail sentences to facilitate this crime for financial gain."

He said others have been "casual and cavalier" about their lorries, allowing illegal immigrants to climb on board and hide among crates.

Mr Straw wrote: "This illegal trafficking could be virtually eliminated overnight if drivers carried out - and if employers insisted upon - some simple and elementary checks in their vehicles before moving (back) across the Channel."

He said most drivers check their tyres and lights before driving off and he urged them to make sure they were not carrying unwanted passengers.

Burden on the state

Under the new system drivers will be responsible for illegal immigrants found on their lorries and will have to pay £2,000 for every stowaway found.

Mr Straw said: "A financial penalty on hauliers is only reasonable.

"It costs the taxpayer much more than £2,000 to deal with an illegal entrant."

Organised criminals from all over Europe and the Far East are believed to be making millions of pounds a year through the trade in illegal immigrants.