Twelve 'illegal immigrants' held

Police searched the harbour and the surrounding roads

Twelve suspected illegal immigrants and a lorry driver have been arrested in East Sussex.

Police were called to Rye Harbour after some people were seen cutting their way out of a canvas covered lorry.

A helicopter and dogs unit searched the area and found 12 men in and around the port who were taken into custody with the lorry driver.

On Wednesday the men were being held at Hastings Police station before being handed over to immigration officials.

Careful search

Police said the lorry driver was Romanian and the suspected immigrants were from either from Afghanistan, Iran or Iraq.

A police spokesman said: "We received a number of reports about some men cutting through the canvas on a lorry and then running away from the scene at 1100 BST on Tuesday.

"Two officers rounded up seven suspects very quickly and then the others were found.

"We searched the area carefully afterwards."

Sussex Police said the immigration service would decide if any charges would be brought against the men.