Polish border guards say they have detained six people from Iran and five from Iraq hiding in a van and attempting to illegally enter Germany.

The delivery van was being driven by a 37-year-old Turkish citizen.

The driver "declared that, in a sealed cargo compartment, he was carrying car parts from Turkey to Belgium,” said Polish border guard spokesman Rafał Potocki.

“During an inspection, however, officers heard sounds coming from inside the vehicle... it turned out that aside from parts there were people inside," Potocki added.

Eleven people were found in the cargo compartment, aged between 19 and 65. Nine of them were men and two were women.

"These people had illegally crossed from the Czech Republic to Poland and were trying to illegally enter Germany on the same day,” Potocki said.

The 11 were detained overnight between Monday and Tuesday in the western Polish town of Łęknica, on the border with Germany.

(pk/gs)

Source: PAP