A POLISH woman who drove a lorry filled with illegal immigrants into Poole suspected she was smuggling cigarettes, a court has heard.

Appearing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Thursday, Sylwia Pietrzak pleaded guilty to one charge of aiding a breach in immigration law by concealing 13 Albanian nationals inside the vehicle.

The Albanians, who had been hidden in specially designed crates, were discovered after immigration officials searched the lorry in New Harbour Road, Poole, on October 23. It is understood all of them have since been returned to Albania.

Kevin Hill, mitigating, said 30-year-old Pietrzak, of no fixed abode, accepted she had “reasonable cause” to believe she was involved in some form of illegal activity but was unaware there were people inside the vehicle.

“She had arranged the job quite legitimately, she thought,” he told the court.

Mr Hill said Pietrzak was parted from the vehicle for “some time” before boarding a ferry to the UK.

He claimed when Pietrzak continued the journey she was unaware the Albanians were inside the vehicle.

He said: “She became suspicious that there may be some illegal activity because of text messages she had received from the person she had been working for, which she was asked to delete.

“She suspected she may be involved in smuggling across cigarettes and she was worried about that.”

He added: “She had no knowledge of people being in that vehicle and she has no reasons for them being there but she accepts now that because of the circumstances and her own concerns that she may, albeit unwittingly, be involved in something illegal and that she was facilitating a breach of immigration law.”

Judge John Harrow adjourned the case for an additional hearing to determine the facts of what happened before sentencing.

Speaking to Pietrzak he said: “The court needs to hear your account of what happened. It’s important to understand what you knew or believed was happening.”

Pietrzak was remanded in custody.