'They were strapped down, hidden and living on bread'

"We found three suspected victims of modern day slavery hidden in a lorry," said Det Ch Insp James Ansell, describing the moment his officers entered the vehicle near a stretch of the M25 known by police as a "hotspot" for finding trafficking victims.

"One of them was a man who was strapped into a concealed compartment and we had to cut him free."

Three men were recently jailed for their part in trafficking the victims from Vietnam.

The section of the motorway near Cobham is one of the most common areas for officers to pick up migrants and trafficked people in Surrey - which they describe as a "transit county" for gangs arriving from the Channel ports.

BBC South East recently revealed how there had been an increase in the last year in detections of people attempting to board UK-bound vehicles at the ports in France.

This recent case illustrated how a tip-off at a service station led to a swift police response and the recovery of trafficking victims.

Det Ch Insp Ansell, from the anti-corruption unit at Surrey Police, told BBC Radio Surrey: "We had a report of two lorries with multiple people being taken from the lorries and placed into other vans and taken away.

"We found one of the lorries still parked up. When they [officers] entered the cab, they found a man and a woman inside, hiding in the back, and then a second man, was found strapped into the top compartment, behind the cab in the interior, wedged in, behind items to conceal him.

"The straps were so tight he actually had to be cut out by officers.

"They'd been kept in there for a week and were purely surviving on bread and water.

"By their appearance I've got no doubt they weren't eating or drinking much in those last few days or few weeks."

Between January 2023 and January 2025, Surrey Police said they recorded 26 cases of people being found in a lorry, or confirmed to be involved in a "lorry drop".

"The most usual place we find these happening is at Cobham or Clacket Lane services," Det Ch Insp Ansell said.

"They do remain a hotspot for the South East for people exiting lorries, or being dropped off here, or being put into other transport.

"The main reason being, it's the main arterial route from the ports, and Surrey is a transit county.

"They've come into the country and they may stop here to get into another vehicle, or to refuel."

Roadchef, which runs Clacket Lane services on the M25 in Surrey, said it had "zero tolerance" for any criminal or illegal activity on its sites and would "work closely with relevant authorities" when required.

The spokesperson added: "The welfare, safety, and security of our customers, staff, and visitors is our highest priority.

"All our sites are monitored by CCTV and thermal imaging to help maintain a safe environment. "

Nam, not his real name, from Ha Tinh, in Vietnam, was smuggled into the UK in a lorry and forced to work on a cannabis farm.

He recently told BBC South East how he was beaten, and forced to work 19 hours each day and had no chance of escape. But he is not alone.

Official figures show more than 3,000 people who arrived from Vietnam last year were referred to agencies as suspected slaves.

The charity Unseen, which runs a modern slavery helpline, said it was still getting many calls every year about potential victims.

Justine Carter, the charity's executive director, said: "Demand for the helpline continues to grow, with nearly 1,000 calls and contacts per month."

Last year 3,030 people were identified in the UK as potential modern slavery victims, following calls to the helpline.

The government said it was ramping up immigration enforcement to tackle the criminal gangs behind modern slavery.

Hauliers found to be carrying an illegal migrant can face a fine of up to £10,000 for each "clandestine entrant".

Security had been stepped up at the ports in France over the last 10 years to deter smuggling and trafficking in freight, the government said.

But a recent report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration said the threat from smuggling gangs "remains high and is unrelenting".

A Home Office spokesperson said the government was introducing new legislation to crack down on trafficking.

They said: "Border Force officers have discovered inhumane cases of migrants being crammed into the backs of lorries or heavy-goods vehicles for many years."

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.