ILLEGAL immigrants were smuggled through the Port of Tilbury and ended up begging on the streets of Laindon.

Police and the Border Force have launched a joint operation to find out how the group, who were dressed in rags, were smuggled in to the UK. It is thought the two men and a woman come from Eritrea, on the Horn of Africa, which has one of the world’s worst records on human rights.

Police were alerted by people who had been approached by the trio at bus stops in Mandeville Way. The three were reportedly dressed in ripped and dirty clothing, spoke little English and appeared to be lost.

They were asking for “English money” and “English SIM cards”.

Eritrea has no official language and it is expected the authorities will have to hire translators to communicate with the three.

As the Echo went to press, it was not known how the trio got in to the country, or how they got from Tilbury to Laindon.

Kevin Walby, who runs Stay and Play, said one of his employees was approached by them.

He said: “A staff member got off a bus in Durham Road when two young guys and a woman approached her and asked for SIM cards and money. They did not threaten her, but we were worried about her so I went and picked her up. The police picked the three of them up near the petrol station.”

A Border Force spokesman said: “We had a referral from police about three suspected immigration offenders arrested in Basildon on Thursday. The suspects are being questioned.” In August a man died after 35 people, including children, were found in a shipping container at Tilbury.