Lorry drivers face fines of ￡2,000 for every illegal migrant found in their vehicle, even if they have done full security checks, under tough new laws.

       Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, is expected to introduce amendments on Wednesday that give Border Force officers greater powers to prosecute hauliers.

       The changes to the Nationality and Borders Bill are designed to stop migrants entering the UK in lorries and help prevent a repeat of the Essex tragedy in which 39 Vietnamese people died in the trailer of an articulated refrigerator truck in 2019.

       At present, drivers and lorry companies can each only be fined up to ￡2,000 for every illegal migrant found where they did not take steps to secure their vehicles, such as securely locking doors in place and checking beneath the vehicle for anyone hidden away.

       However, Home Office officials said the laws were not working. One study found more than a third of lorries had no basic security measures at all.

       In 2020, there were 1,869 cases where people were detected hidden in vehicles with inadequate security, despite the Covid-19 pandemic causing a lower volume of traffic.

       It is thought as many as 8,000 migrants enter the UK in lorries despite tighter cross-border checks and the introduction of scanning equipment.

       The new rules will place a greater onus on drivers to check their vehicles as they will be liable to fines even if they claim to have taken sufficient steps to secure their lorries.

       Tom Pursglove, the immigration minister, told The Telegraph: “Recent events are a tragic reminder of the risks from trying to reach the UK through dangerous, illegal means be it in unseaworthy boats or suffocating in the back of lorries.

       “Poorly secured lorries are an invitation to those seeking to break into the UK. That’s why we’re toughening the rules and further securing our borders.”

       Meanwhile, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Border Force are running a campaign for lorry drivers to step up security amid concerns at the growth in illegal migrants seeking to cross the Channel.

       The focus has been on small boats with more than 26,000 people entering the UK on them this year, triple the 8,714 for the whole of last year. However, lorries still remain a target of smuggling gangs.

       Posters and leaflets have been distributed advising drivers on what to look out for including security breaches at ports, unexpected route diversions from drivers on shift and unusual behaviour at the rear of vehicles.

       The NCA has urged any drivers approached with offers of cash to take migrants to report it to police.

       Andrea Wilson, NCA deputy director, said: “The tragic events that took place in Essex two years ago have remained front and centre of our minds in tackling this issue and continue to inform our operational activity.

       “We cannot emphasise enough how crucial information from those in the transport sector is, and hope this renewed drive gives people the confidence to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.”