Seven Men Jailed Over Tragic Deaths of 39 Vietnamese Migrants
Seven men have been handed a combined 92 years and 10 months behind bars following an investigation into the deaths of 39 Vietnamese nationals in October 2019. The horrifying case unfolded at the Old Bailey today, where His Honour Mr Justice Sweeney delivered the verdicts.
Shocking Smuggling Plot Exposed
The convicted men worked together to smuggle migrants illegally into the UK, pocketing eye-watering sums for their illicit trade. The tragedy unfolded across three key dates in October 2019, ending with the suffocation deaths inside a sealed trailer at Thurrock.
Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington said:
“On 23 October 2019 we were called to a scene no officer could ever prepare for. Every person in that trailer had left behind a family. They were promised safe passage and instead were left to die due to greed. Today’s sentences uphold the promise we made to the families.”
Leaders of the Smuggling Ring Face Heavy Sentences
- Ronan Hughes, 41, the leader who fled to Ireland on the day of the discovery, was extradited and sentenced to 20 years after pleading guilty to all offences.
- Gheorghe Nica, 44, who arranged migrant collections in France and transport to London, was convicted and sentenced to 27 years.
- Eamonn Harrison, 24, the lorry driver who sealed migrants inside the airtight trailer, got 18 years for manslaughter and conspiracy charges.
- Maurice Robinson, 26, the driver who made the emergency call but delayed reporting the deaths, pleaded guilty and received 13 years and four months.
- Christopher Kennedy, 24, sentenced to 7 years for conspiracy to assist illegal immigration.
- Valentin Calota, 38, working as a migrant transporter in London, sentenced to four and a half years.
- Alexandru Hanga, 28, pleaded guilty and got three years for similar charges.
- Gazmir Nuzi, 43, sentenced to 10 months already served for assisting unlawful immigration.
Justice Served But Grief Remains
Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Stoten from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate urged others involved in migrant smuggling to take heed of the sentences. He condemned those exploiting vulnerable migrants, “transporting them worse than animals.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel added:
“The pain endured by the victims’ families is unbearable. The inhumanity of these callous smugglers is rightly reflected in these sentences.”
Matthew Long, Deputy Director of the National Crime Agency, warned criminal networks that the fight to dismantle people-smuggling rings will continue relentlessly.
Thurrock Council leader Rob Gledhill highlighted the ongoing risks posed by gangs across Europe and praised the local community’s response to the tragedy.
Heartbreaking Discovery That Shocked a Nation
In the early hours of 23 October 2019, the East of England Ambulance Service called Essex Police after a 999 call from lorry driver Maurice Robinson. Upon opening the trailer he had been driving, emergency responders found 39 Vietnamese migrants deceased inside.
Robinson, who initially denied knowledge of people inside the trailer, was arrested following the discovery. The investigation revealed a deep-rooted conspiracy with multiple players involved in organising the illegal transport from Europe to the UK.
The catastrophic loss of so many lives— including two 15-year-olds travelling alone — was a stark reminder of the deadly greed of organised crime rings exploiting desperate migrants.
Though justice has been served, the heartbreak for families thousands of miles away in Vietnam will never fade. Essex Police vow to continue fighting to protect vulnerable migrants and bring those responsible to justice.
