UK - 39 bodies found in lorry container, Essex, 23 Oct 2019 *Guilty* #3

[CaptainNancy]

I realise I made a mistake in one of my posts above. The major missing link they were looking for was Draghici, not Dragos, the man reported recently caught. But every arrest is one more link in the chain broken.

 

[Angleterre]

Wow! Good sleuthing Silverlink.

As if Maher hadn’t created enough ‘mess’ of his own to get dragged into.

And lucky for Hughes that Encrochat was cracked. I am surprised they publicised the threat to Hughes when they did (I think they said something like a ‘credible threat’ to ‘someone’ held wrt the case) because that must have been a strong clue that they were in Encrochat and therefore gathering evidence against Maher and others.

Or maybe the Encrochat busts had begun by then, I can’t remember.

I feel so much safer knowing that my own hairdresser had a female partner ;

Your last line @ CaptainNancy is / was very cryptic unless I’m looking too deep into it lol

Often , the ‘ scally’s ‘ are so conceited that they think they are so much more clever than the Police and underestimate the Police’s technical cabilities , thinking that they, ( the criminals) , are foolproof by the likes of using encrochat and other encrypted devices and they won’t even Be susceptible to being caught out ! Even if this information was put out into the public domain prior to any busts , whereas reasoned people like ourselves would take heed of the warning that clearly the Police must have some solid technical evidence, they wouldn’t even consider it due to their inflated self worth and their egos!

 

[CaptainNancy]

Your last line @ CaptainNancy is / was very cryptic unless I’m looking too deep into it lol

At least 3 people either convicted or at some stage of interest to the police in this case have wives or girlfriends who have hairdressing businesses. So I am relieved of the suspicion that my own hairdresser is not connected to a murderous people smuggling ring.

But it was a tongue in cheek comment . And definitely not intended to cast aspersions on hairdressers of any kind.

 

[Angleterre]

At least 3 people either convicted or at some stage of interest to the police in this case have wives or girlfriends who have hairdressing businesses. So I am relieved of the suspicion that my own hairdresser is not connected to a murderous people smuggling ring.

But it was a tongue in cheek comment . And definitely not intended to cast aspersions on hairdressers of any kind.

Ahhhh I get it now. To be fair, I didn’t think that you were casting aspersions on hairdressers, I just found it cryptic and I was curious. I will start a conversation. Cheers Angleterre

 

[Silverlink]

The first Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation hearing for the case took place against Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga today, with dates set for hearings against others later in the year.

Hanga has been found to have made £83,552 from his crimes but can only pay back £3,000. This will be paid to the families of the 39. Sounds like a paltry sum but I wouldn't be surprised if he's spent all his money on legal fees in a case this serious.

Essex lorry deaths: Man ordered to pay £3k to families

 

[Silverlink]

Some of the defendants appeared in court by video link from Belmarsh prison for the confiscation hearing.

Kennedy’s lawyer James Scobie QC said his client was “basically a farm boy working in that field doing some driving”.

In his case, the issue for the court was where his money came from.

Not having receipts, Kennedy would have to give evidence to “say these were legitimate earnings from him working from the age of 17 onwards”, Mr Scobie said.

In the case of Robinson, the court heard there were “exceptional circumstances” to allow confiscation proceedings, despite the length of time that had elapsed.

Essex lorry deaths smuggler ordered to pay £3,000 to bereaved families of 39 migrants

 

[Silverlink]

Here's some developments on the Thomas Maher case regarding two more of his associates in Ireland. Jason Reed has been jailed for 7 years and Thomas Rooney is due to be sentenced in October.

Soup run volunteer and 'high level' Kinahan cartel member Jason Reed jailed for seven years

'High level' gang member Jason Reed part of a network linked to jailed haulier Thomas Maher

Man who admitted having more than €350k crime cash worked for notorious drug trafficker Thomas Maher

 

[CaptainNancy]

Thanks for the updates, Silverlink.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Here's some developments on the Thomas Maher case regarding two more of his associates in Ireland. Jason Reed has been jailed for 7 years and Thomas Rooney is due to be sentenced in October.

Soup run volunteer and 'high level' Kinahan cartel member Jason Reed jailed for seven years

'High level' gang member Jason Reed part of a network linked to jailed haulier Thomas Maher

Man who admitted having more than €350k crime cash worked for notorious drug trafficker Thomas Maher

The irony of being a cartel member while volunteering in a soup kitchen.

 

[Silverlink]

The irony of being a cartel member while volunteering in a soup kitchen.

Reminds me of Gus Fring from Breaking Bad. Coming across as a charitable 'pillar of the community' type to make sure you're at the bottom of the list of people the authorities will suspect of wrongdoing.

 

[Ched]

Essex lorry deaths: Man extradited from Italy to UK
Dragos-Stefan Dalmian, 27, has been charged with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence.

Extradited from Italy, he appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Meanwhile another man charged in connection with the case has been named as 18-year-old Alex Tran.

Mr Tran has claimed to be 17 and that Alex Tran is not his name. But Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday lifted the legal restriction against naming him.
He was arrested in June at a supermarket petrol station just off the A66 at Middlesbrough, and is suspected of having played a "key role" in placing at least 10 of the migrants who died in the lorry trailer.

The Vietnamese migrants were discovered in a refrigerated lorry trailer in Grays, Essex, on 23 October 2019.

The allegation is that he ran safe houses in Brussels in which the migrants stayed, and organised transport in taxis to the collection point in France where they were put into the sealed trailer.

A full hearing will take place at the same court on 11 November.

Mr Dalmian's case was sent to the Old Bailey, where he is due to appear on 1 October.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Essex lorry deaths: Man extradited from Italy to UK
Dragos-Stefan Dalmian, 27, has been charged with conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence.

Extradited from Italy, he appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Meanwhile another man charged in connection with the case has been named as 18-year-old Alex Tran.

Mr Tran has claimed to be 17 and that Alex Tran is not his name. But Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday lifted the legal restriction against naming him.
He was arrested in June at a supermarket petrol station just off the A66 at Middlesbrough, and is suspected of having played a "key role" in placing at least 10 of the migrants who died in the lorry trailer.

The Vietnamese migrants were discovered in a refrigerated lorry trailer in Grays, Essex, on 23 October 2019.

The allegation is that he ran safe houses in Brussels in which the migrants stayed, and organised transport in taxis to the collection point in France where they were put into the sealed trailer.

A full hearing will take place at the same court on 11 November.

Mr Dalmian's case was sent to the Old Bailey, where he is due to appear on 1 October.

Makes me wonder how in the world such young people get involved in this.

 

[CaptainNancy]

Makes me wonder how in the world such young people get involved in this.

Probably isn't quite as young as 17.

But I guess it is all part of the cycle. They arrive themselves at the hands of smugglers, with a debt to pay off....and so end up working for the smugglers. And can't seek help because they were / are illegal.

Much like EH ended up in debt to RH.

Maybe a mixture. Some are opportunist and out to make money for themselves, whatever the cost to others.
Others set out with optimism and ambition to make a new life and end up trapped in the cycle of illegal trade and activity.

 

[Silverlink]

The brother of an Irish haulier who was convicted of the manslaughter of 39 migrants who were found dead in a lorry trailer in Essex two years ago has filed 20 legal actions against the media and UK police for wrongly linking him with the people-smuggling operation.

Photographs of Christopher and Ronan were issued by Essex police and widely used by Irish and British media. While Ronan Hughes subsequently admitted to the manslaughter of 39 people, no charges were ever brought against Christopher Hughes. Gardai carried out a voluntary interview with him in 2019.

He has since instigated 20 High Court actions in Belfast against media organisations and Essex police for alleged negligence, breach of statutory duty and nuisance. The media organisations include Sky, RTE, ITN, Channel 4 News, Times Newspapers, the Daily Mail and the Irish Independent.

Some news reports about the Essex police investigation into the Hughes brothers, including on the RTE website, now include updates saying no further action will be taken against Christopher Hughes.

He is represented by Newry-based solicitors McNamee McDonnell in all 20 actions filed in Belfast. Hughes has filed a separate claim against Essex police in the High Court in Dublin.

McNamee McDonnell said that at the outset of its investigation Essex police had named Christopher Hughes and published his photograph in a way that portrayed him as being guilty and on the run. “The truth is [he] was completely innocent and had nothing whatsoever to do with the Essex lorry deaths, a fact which is now accepted by the police,” the solicitors said.

“At all times he maintained his innocence and his solicitor was in contact with the police in Essex. Despite that [they] and the media continued to portray him as being guilty. As a result of the uninformed media coverage, my client was publicly vilified, lost his business, sustained lasting damage to his reputation and saw his family suffer untold damage that persists to the present day.”

Smuggler's brother sues police over Essex lorry deaths case | Ireland | The Sunday Times

 

[Silverlink]

Sounds like a ridiculous case at first glance, especially the one against the police, but I recall a lot of the media reporting at the time did wrongly state that he was on the run with Ronan, when as we know neither of them were on the run. He may have a case there.

 

[CaptainNancy]

It was very odd.

mat one stage it was all over the media that the police were looking for them, almost simultaneously with him appearing in a photo of his wife in an article about her hairdressing business. But if his solicitor was ‘in touch’ with police throughout, when police were appealing to talk with both brothers, why didn’t he just answer the appeal and present himself for an interview. Presumably he could have quickly demonstrated that none of his vehicles or drivers were involved.

 

[Thelastleg]

It was very odd.

mat one stage it was all over the media that the police were looking for them, almost simultaneously with him appearing in a photo of his wife in an article about her hairdressing business. But if his solicitor was ‘in touch’ with police throughout, when police were appealing to talk with both brothers, why didn’t he just answer the appeal and present himself for an interview. Presumably he could have quickly demonstrated that none of his vehicles or drivers were involved.

Probably looking for some financial gain now that the money has dried up from people smuggling.

 

[Silverlink]

Also, one of his drivers was convicted for smuggling cannabis into Ireland last year.

Armagh lorry driver who attempted to smuggle £500,000 of cannabis into Ireland avoids jail

Don't see how he can claim that he lost his business due to being linked with the deaths when the operating licence of C. Hughes Logistics was revoked due to breaches of working time regulations.

Essex lorry deaths: Christopher Hughes' firm loses HGV licence

 

[Silverlink]

BBC Two will be airing a new documentary on the deaths at 9pm on Wednesday 13th October.

BBC Two - Hunting the Essex Lorry Killers

 

[CaptainNancy]

Also, one of his drivers was convicted for smuggling cannabis into Ireland last year.

Armagh lorry driver who attempted to smuggle £500,000 of cannabis into Ireland avoids jail

Don't see how he can claim that he lost his business due to being linked with the deaths when the operating licence of C. Hughes Logistics was revoked due to breaches of working time regulations.

Essex lorry deaths: Christopher Hughes' firm loses HGV licence

How on earth do smugglers of £500K worth of skunk stay out of prison? Makes me so cross. I live in an area of S London where the street level of distribution of this stuff causes the stabbings and shootings. All involved in the supply networks are connected to gang deaths, IMO.

Is that a refrigerated trailer? Wouldn’t goods such as cleaning products normally be carried on pallets in a curtain sider?

But then curtain siders don’t have the advantage of sealed insulation, less easily monitored by sniffer dogs, infra-red etc.

And yes, though CH may argue that his licence was scrutinised as a result of the case, he was either running a legal business or he wasn’t.