German charged over Dover immigrants

The Sri Lankans were found in a van that arrived at the Port of Dover

DOVER, England -- A 27-year-old German woman is to appear in a UK court charged with illegally importing 26 Sri Lankans.

Tanja Worner, from Cologne, will appear before Channel Magistrates Court, in Folkestone, Kent, south east England, on Monday.

A Kent Police spokesman told CNN she had been charged "with facilitating illegal entry to the UK."

Customs inspectors stopped a Ford Iveco hire van at the English Channel port on Saturday.

Inside, they found three Sri Lankan women and 23 Sri Lankan men.

All were said to be in a distressed state inside.

They were taken to the Kent and Canterbury hospital in nearby Canterbury for treatment.

On Sunday four remained in hospital where they are being kept under observation.

The other 22 have been released and are being interviewed by immigration officials.