Six stowaways found in truck near Rotterdam port; 4 arrested

A search of a van near the Rotterdam Port uncovered six men, likely of Iranian and Iraqi nationality, hidden in a small secret compartment inside the vehicle. Four people were arrested on suspicion of people smuggling after authorities made the discovery.

The van, which had a Romanian license plate, was inspected by authorities before driving aboard a ferry headed to England. The six others in the vehicle shot out of the van when officers found the hidden compartment.

The six men removed from the space are aged 16 to 39. There were no reports of any injuries involving those inside.

All four arrested suspects are from Romania, including the 33-year-old driver and three passengers aged 18 to 22. Two of the four are men, and two are women, according to the Marechaussee, the Dutch military branch tasked with guarding the country’s borders.

The four were expected to appear before a magistrate for an initial hearing on Tuesday.