Essex lorry deaths: Man from Northern Ireland arrested over 39 dead Vietnamese nationals
Written by News on 22/11/2019
A man from Northern Ireland has been arrested in connection with the deaths of 39 Vietnamese nationals in a lorry trailer in Essex last month.
The 23-year-old was arrested by Thames Valley Police, on behalf of Essex Police, in the early hours of Friday on the M40 in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.
He was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic people and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
The man, who has not been named, remains in custody, Essex Police said.
His arrest – the sixth in the investigation – comes a month after 39 bodies were discovered in a refrigerated lorry trailer at Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, Essex, on 23 October.
Earlier this month Essex Police, assisted by Vietnamese officials, confirmed the 31 men and eight women were all Vietnamese nationals.
The youngest two were just 15 years old and the oldest was 44.
Five others have been arrested in connection with the deaths.
The driver of the lorry, Maurice Robinson, 25, of Craigavon, Northern Ireland, has been charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people, and money laundering.
He is in custody in the UK and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Monday.
Eamonn Harrison, 22, from Mayobridge, Northern Ireland, is in custody in Dublin and is awaiting extradition to the UK after a European Arrest Warrant was issued.
Harrison has been charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, human trafficking and immigration offences.
Three other people, a 38-year-old man, a 38-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man, have all been released on bail pending further enquiries until 24 January 2020.
Brothers Ronan and Christopher Hughes, from County Armagh in Northern Ireland, are wanted on suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking.
In Vietnam, several others have been arrested.
Anyone with information on the Hughes’ brothers is asked to contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.
(c) Sky News 2019: Essex lorry deaths: Man from Northern Ireland arrested over 39 dead Vietnamese nationals
