They said "They are carrying smugglers from Portugal", but the truth turned out to be very different!

We came across a very fresh incident that shows that we should not make judgments in advance as soon as we see the videos circulating on social media.

A video came across me the other day. Four men are jumping down from the roof of a truck belonging to the Algarve Removals company, which operates logistics between Spain, Portugal and England. Of course, will social media stop? The allegations are loud... Supposedly it was a human smuggling truck that set off from Portugal!

When we dug into the truth a little, it turned out that the incident was not as written.

The Incident Happened in England, Not Portugal

First of all, the truck departs from Málaga in the south of Spain, not from Portugal. It passes to England via France. The incident took place at around 16:00 on Monday, August 3, near the town of Maldon in Essex.

When I examine the interviews with the company's director, John Scott, the details become clear. While the driver stops on the side of the road because there is no space in the storage area, the people in the vehicle get out by breaking the roof. John Scott states that the rear doors were sealed and locked, and there was serious damage to the roof of the vehicle.

Apparently, these people broke into the truck by cutting the roof of the truck while it was staying overnight at a truck park near Rouen, about two hours south of Calais in France. The company emphasizes that both the French and British border police searched the vehicle thoroughly in Calais and that no irregularities were found. In other words, when the seals were intact, it was not noticed at that moment that the entrance was entered by piercing the ceiling.

Politicians' Hastiness on Social Media

The interesting thing is that names such as Portuguese politician Rita Matias and British MP Robert Jenrick immediately shared this video on their accounts with the phrase "illegal immigrants from Portugal". It quickly became clear that the incident had nothing to do with Portugal or any violation by the shipping company.

Although the Essex Police initially detained the British driver in his 60s as per procedure, when the situation was understood, they immediately released the guy without any charges. The four people who jumped out of the vehicle and ran away have not been found yet.

Scott, the manager of the company, which has been doing this business for more than 30 years, states that such illegal entries are still one of the biggest problems in the sector and that they are deeply saddened by the situation.

That's why it's important to look at the reality on the ground before jumping to conclusions at your desk or on social media. These illegal leaks across Europe continue to pose a serious operational risk for companies engaged in international logistics.