A people smuggler who played a significant role in the conspiracy that led to the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants has been ordered to pay £65,157.65 to the families of the victims. Gheorghe Nica, who had previously been sentenced to 27 years in prison for 39 counts of manslaughter and human trafficking, was responsible for instructing lorry driver Maurice Robinson before the tragic discovery in Grays, Essex, on October 23, 2019.
Nica, 46, is the final defendant in a series of proceedings aimed at confiscating proceeds of crime. So far, the convicted individuals have been ordered to pay a total of £283,802.58 in compensation to the families of the victims, although some aspects of this sum are still subject to ongoing court proceedings.
Related coverage
