GARDAÍ HAVE ARRESTED a man in his 30s in connection with the discovery of 14 people inside a shipping container at Rosslare Harbour last week.

The group of were found in a refrigerated trailer at Rosslare Europort in Co Wexford at 3am on 8 January.

Nine men, three women and two girls were discovered inside the vehicle.

A man was arrested this afternoon at Rosslare for an alleged offence under the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act, 2021.

He is currently detained at a garda station in the southeast of the country under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

UK authorities were alerted after a 999 call was made from inside the trailer, which was subsequently passed on to gardaí.

All 14 were assessed by medical personnel and deemed to be in good health.

Gardaí attached to Wexford Garda Station, supported by the Garda National Immigration Bureau, are investigating all of the circumstances.

A garda spokesperson said last week they are “liaising closely with international counterparts through Europol in The Hague” and that the ship’s crew are assisting with enquiries.

A spokesperson for gardaí said today that the investigation remains ongoing.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said it was “fortuitous” that there were no deaths and said she was “extremely concerned” to learn of the discovery.

She thanked the emergency services for their response.

In 2001, eight people, including two children, suffocated and lost their lives in a container that had been brought into Rosslare Europort.