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

[Silverlink]

Thomas Maher has got to either be the most stupid criminal on the planet for carrying on smuggling after being linked with such a serious and high profile crime, or those higher up gave him no choice to stop.

 

[Silverlink]

According to this, Maher is linked to Colombian drug cartels as well as Merseyside and Irish gangs.

Obvious wealth triggered police probe into cartel-linked criminal

 

[CaptainNancy]

According to this, Maher is linked to Colombian drug cartels as well as Merseyside and Irish gangs.

Obvious wealth triggered police probe into cartel-linked criminal

What a nasty piece of work he is.
It says he is not thought to be controlled by anyone, though.
So greed, stupidity and arrogance probably making him feel invincible.
I wonder why they don't do his wife? She has to at least have lived off or benefitted from the proceeds.
I wonder what specifically he was threatening RH over?

 

[Silverlink]

I wonder what specifically he was threatening RH over?

From the Manchester Evening News:

Maher had been suspected of plotting to arrange an attack on Hughes after finding out the tractor unit used in the trafficking of the Vietnamese people who died had been falsely left registered in his name. This charge will not be prosecuted, the court heard, and will lie on the file.

Trucking boss who led double life as a drugs baron exposed after 39 found dead

 

[CaptainNancy]

From the Manchester Evening News:

Maher had been suspected of plotting to arrange an attack on Hughes after finding out the tractor unit used in the trafficking of the Vietnamese people who died had been falsely left registered in his name. This charge will not be prosecuted, the court heard, and will lie on the file.

Trucking boss who led double life as a drugs baron exposed after 39 found dead

Because that would hardly draw attention to him at all . A complete idiot, and vicious with it. Makes you wonder how many more people he has dealt with by GBH. In fact, he is a real gang leader, by the sounds of it.

 

[Silverlink]

A Vietnamese mum nicknamed “Precious” is being hunted in connection with the deaths of 39 migrants in Essex.

Thi Thuy Diem, 30, is accused of playing a leading role in an organised crime network with tentacles reaching into China, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland and Britain.

She is on the run after four of her gang, including her younger brother, were jailed in Vietnam in connection with the October 2019 deaths.

The Mirror can today reveal the complex structure of the trafficking web after 34 suspected members were held across Europe and Asia.

The organised crime group moved their “clients” through various routes across Asia and Europe before holding them in safe houses in France and Belgium in preparation for the last leg of the journey.

Police hunting Vietnamese mum 'Precious' over deaths of 39 migrants in Essex

 

[CaptainNancy]

I would just like to wish everyone who has been on this thread a very happy Christmas season, wherever you are and whatever it means to you.

This was my first and only experience of Websleuths, and I joined because I had recently returned from Vietnam, having seen how hard people work and the tricky lives they lead, with compromised freedoms. And I wanted to know how young men from apparently straightforward lived in Ireland with skills and jobs, got involved in such a terrifying and powerful international criminal network.

It is good to conclude the year with the verdicts settled, correctly IMO. I will be watching for the sentencing, and any other arrests or charges.

For now, thank you fellow Websleuths for your links and research and knowledge and observations.

Health, Peace and Joy.

 

[CSIDreamer]

I would just like to wish everyone who has been on this thread a very happy Christmas season, wherever you are and whatever it means to you.

This was my first and only experience of Websleuths, and I joined because I had recently returned from Vietnam, having seen how hard people work and the tricky lives they lead, with compromised freedoms. And I wanted to know how young men from apparently straightforward lived in Ireland with skills and jobs, got involved in such a terrifying and powerful international criminal network.

It is good to conclude the year with the verdicts settled, correctly IMO. I will be watching for the sentencing, and any other arrests or charges.

For now, thank you fellow Websleuths for your links and research and knowledge and observations.

Health, Peace and Joy.

I am glad you came here. Merry Christmas!

 

[Marysmith]

I would just like to wish everyone who has been on this thread a very happy Christmas season, wherever you are and whatever it means to you.

This was my first and only experience of Websleuths, and I joined because I had recently returned from Vietnam, having seen how hard people work and the tricky lives they lead, with compromised freedoms. And I wanted to know how young men from apparently straightforward lived in Ireland with skills and jobs, got involved in such a terrifying and powerful international criminal network.

It is good to conclude the year with the verdicts settled, correctly IMO. I will be watching for the sentencing, and any other arrests or charges.

For now, thank you fellow Websleuths for your links and research and knowledge and observations.

Health, Peace and Joy.

Merry Christmas CaptainNancy!
Yes, this is a particularly tragic case and highlights many unfair inequities in this world.
x 39

 

[Thelastleg]

I would just like to wish everyone who has been on this thread a very happy Christmas season, wherever you are and whatever it means to you.

This was my first and only experience of Websleuths, and I joined because I had recently returned from Vietnam, having seen how hard people work and the tricky lives they lead, with compromised freedoms. And I wanted to know how young men from apparently straightforward lived in Ireland with skills and jobs, got involved in such a terrifying and powerful international criminal network.

It is good to conclude the year with the verdicts settled, correctly IMO. I will be watching for the sentencing, and any other arrests or charges.

For now, thank you fellow Websleuths for your links and research and knowledge and observations.

Health, Peace and Joy.

Best wishes to you too. Thank you for your posts in this harrowing case.

 

[Silverlink]

Sadly behind a paywall, but I had a feeling that an IRA link would be revealed.

Essex lorry deaths: Killer trafficker Ronan Hughes honed skills on tobacco runs for IRA bomber

MASS killer Ronan Hughes honed his people-trafficking skills transporting millions of pounds worth of illegal cigarettes for a convicted IRA bomber.

The logistics boss, who is facing life in prison for the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese immigrants, was introduced to international smuggling routes by Aidan Grew.

The Co Armagh republican is the biggest player in the criminal tobacco trade in Ireland and was once fined £500,000 for evading customs duty on illegal cigarettes.

 

[CaptainNancy]

Sadly behind a paywall, but I had a feeling that an IRA link would be revealed.

Essex lorry deaths: Killer trafficker Ronan Hughes honed skills on tobacco runs for IRA bomber

MASS killer Ronan Hughes honed his people-trafficking skills transporting millions of pounds worth of illegal cigarettes for a convicted IRA bomber.

The logistics boss, who is facing life in prison for the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese immigrants, was introduced to international smuggling routes by Aidan Grew.

The Co Armagh republican is the biggest player in the criminal tobacco trade in Ireland and was once fined £500,000 for evading customs duty on illegal cigarettes.

Yes, that link does not come as a complete surprise. The smuggling routes from Vietnam were laid down years ago, and the IRA funded to a significant level by cigarette smuggling.

One of the Irish papers that only has a paper edition ran a feature on the alleged paramilitary network links to this case much earlier this year. Pictures of the feature were copied on an earlier thread here.

 

[CaptainNancy]

I can’t seem to copy the link but there is an article in the Belfast Telegraph by Steven Moore reporting that MR is ‘haunted’ by what he saw in the trailer and is having to have specialist counselling. Also that the mother of his twins has taken them to visit a few times.

He was the only one in the smuggling network to see the horror of what they had done.

 

[CaptainNancy]

Link to the same article in the Sunday World:
Mass killer truck driver Mo Robinson 'haunted' by memory of his crime

 

[CaptainNancy]

A feature about the background to the case:
Essex lorry deaths: The Irish hauliers at the centre of a global trade in human misery

"RONAN Hughes' company was bringing in up to £1million a month.... a network involving more than 20 lorry drivers - all from Ireland - are still involved in the lucrative trade in people, sources say....During the trial of Harrison jurors were told an “elusive and sinister” suspect who is still at large. That man, also from Ireland, currently believed to be living in the Costa Blanca region of Spain....Following his arrest Robinson assisted a specialist police unit with the investigation, piecing together the network and smuggling routes established over many years...."

Followed by some interesting facts about the particular (extremely dodgy) role of Bulgarian lorries, the economics of the smuggling trade, and an account by a former Hughes' driver.

"It's all very cross community the big republican boys will happily deal with loyalists when it comes to making money".
Robinson may have a reason to be thankful that he is locked away for many years.

 

[CaptainNancy]

Sentencing starts tomorrow!

 

[CaptainNancy]

A well put together C4 podcast about the case. It follows the story of one victims, with details of her life, the economic background to migrants and economic migration. Lays out the logistics and route of the smugglers, nothing not discussed on this thread, except some details: a short report of the view of an Irish police officer who grew up with Hughes, explaining that he was a man of no allegiance except providing a service for money in the context of the long history of border-country smuggling, a suggestion that there was a second theory about why this journey ended in death. We know that it is likely that the smugglers doubled up the numbers because of the failed attempt the week before - it seems that another theory is that there was supposed to be a second lorry to take some of the migrants but that it didn't turn up. Also the view of the French police that this has happened every week for at least a year by this network alone but many others are operating.

Essex lorry deaths: the journey of 39 Vietnamese migrants

 

[CaptainNancy]

They are playing recordings of the dying in court.
Preparing for severe sentences, I would guess.
Essex lorry deaths: Voice messages recorded by trapped immigrants played to court

 

[CaptainNancy]

Essex lorry deaths: Migrant people-smuggling ring was 'profitable'

"Ringleader, haulier boss Ronan Hughes, closed his eyes as the victim's final gasps were played at the Old Bailey....While the recordings were being played, Hughes, 41, of Tyholland, County Monaghan, Ireland, sat still in the dock with eyes shut, as other defendants hung their heads"

Some details from MR's statement to the police:
Final desperate voice messages of trapped migrants played in court | ITV News
"On finding the bodies, Robinson rang Hughes who told him to “Open the doors, give them air”, according to his statement to police.
Robinson responded: “I can’t, they’re ******* dead.”
He then telephoned Nica who had shown him the drop-off point near Collingwood Farm earlier.
He told him to “Ring an ambulance” before Hughes ordered him to “get rid” of his burner phone, according to Robinson.
The driver did as he was told and threw the Sim card down the drain and dumped the telephone on the side of the road, the court heard.
In his police interview, Robinson admitted he knew he was smuggling migrants and claimed he had stopped in Eastern Avenue because “I wanted to make sure the people inside were comfortable”.
At no stage did Robinson tell police about the real reason – Hughes’ Snapchat message."

 

[CaptainNancy]

Essex lorry deaths: Driver earned £100k from people smuggling
"Mr Justice Sweeney said today that the sentencing – initially listed for three days – may last longer as facts of the case are disputed by the defence teams...
The court heard Robinson and Hughes denied knowledge of how many migrants were crammed into the back of the lorry on the fatal journey.
A ‘Newton hearing’ – where the judge resolves major factual issues without a jury – may be held to determine key issues in the sentencing, the judge said.
Mr Polnay said: ‘The prosecution submits the conspirators were aware of the number of people being transported in the lorry, and were aware that this was risky.’ "
"The desperate foreign nationals had paid them around £12,000 each for a ‘VIP’ route to the UK – one of two options offered to them – promising success but not safety. Even migrants who survived earlier trips with loads of around 15 to 20 compatriots suffered life-threatening conditions...
They typically became short of breath and ‘ill’ towards the end of their journey as carbon dioxide in the confined space reached toxic levels, the police chief said.
But the fatal voyage – in which the smugglers crammed 39 people into the trailer to do two loads in one – was ‘doomed to failure,’ said DCI Stoten.
He said: ‘The VIP option is more about getting them through getting through successfully.’
‘If the lorry driver knows they’re less likely to stop and check the load and kick them out. "

And more explicit references to MR's proceeds having been spent re-furbishing his girlfriend's salon.