Company in Staffordshire received delivery from Italy on 8 October and only opened it after noticing strong smell

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The bodies of two suspected migrants have been found in a wooden crate.



Workers at a warehouse called Staffordshire police after noticing a smell coming from the crate. The bodies of two men, believed to be aged under 30, were found at boiler firm Ferroli in Lichfield Road, Branston, on Tuesday just after 9am.

DCI Dave Giles said the deaths are being treated as “suspicious” and that it “is apparent both men had been dead for some time”.

Forensic examinations have been carried out at the scene, but the causes of death for the men, whose post mortem examinations were carried out at the Royal Stoke hospital, are still unknown.

Further tests will be carried out and detectives are working to confirm the men’s identities.

Their bodies were found in a wooden transit crate that was part of a consignment of commercial boilers, which left northern Italy on 5 October.

The crate entered the UK by ferry from Dunkirk to Dover on 8 October. It was delivered to the warehouse in Branston, Burton-upon-Trent later the same day, where it remained untouched until employees became suspicious due to its unpleasant smell. Upon investigation, they discovered the bodies inside the crate and notified police immediately.

Giles said: “It is apparent both men had been dead for some time. Based on the information available at this time, the men are likely to be migrants who had secreted themselves in a wooden transit crate to enable their entry into the UK. We are almost certain they were helped to conceal themselves among the delivery load by a third party.

“In view of this, we are treating the deaths as suspicious and will be carrying out a thorough investigation into the circumstances. Our priorities are to identify the bodies and repatriate them to their bereaved families and also to identify anyone who is involved in facilitating the illegal movement of people into the UK.

“It is likely this investigation will take some time and will require close partnership working with colleagues from the National Crime Agency, Border Force and Immigration Enforcement.

“This is clearly a tragic incident,” he added.