UK - 39 bodies found in lorry, Essex, 23 October 2019

[alice500]

Does anyone have any theories about what went wrong? Maybe they missed the intended sailing time and with the unexpected delay, they ran out of air? Or perhaps the freezer turned on at the wrong time?

The news reports suggest the TRAILER made a number of crossings between France and the UK during it's week of hire from GTR. The reports have been vague but most suggest short trips ... Dover-Calais sort maybe an hour or 2. This one was Zeebrugge - Purfleet ... 10 hours.

 

[RachelZachary]

The 'Persons with significant control' section on Companies House has him in two entries, one active from 110 Epping Drive and the cessation in Feb 2019 was from the address of Watkinson Black accountants. His reasons for doing so I don't 100% get, seems like it might be a him wanting another correspondence address, but he still is listed as a person with significant control, owning '75% or more' of shares.

Thank you. Yeah I don’t understand why he’s changed it. Also, Epping Drive is his previous address. That property shows as sold in July 2017 and the current property on Wiltshire Close bought in March 2017. I’m clearly in the wrong job though if he can make that much money all on his own!

 

[Al Ka]

I am still catching up with the thread but let me just say that I am thrilled that one of the trafficking networks to UK is coming down and all links to it and to others are being painstakingly investigated, finally.

My hunch is that following old cases may have links to same human traffickers. Linh Le may be able to provide more information.

One male victim was already in Germany, got laid off, and asked his wife for $12,000 for the trip to UK. I will link to the best news article later, with other likely victims.

Aug 6 Recovered/Located - UK - Linh Le, 15, visitor from Vietnam, separated from tour group, York, 6 Aug 2019

Aug 2 Germany - Leipzig, Aug 6th 2019 - Unknown Male died in Hospital, *possibly English speaking*

I have raised the issue some time ago and adding here thread I made last year. It mentions some other cases there too, also of different nationalities, all trafficked to UK to different ports and cities.

UK - UK - Lingran Lin, 11, & Lingshan Lin, 15, Hove, Sussex, 29 July 2006 (Human Trafficking)

And adding extra case which may be related to the same traffickers discussed here (due to timeframe, nationality and location)

UK - UK - 12 Vietnamese Teens, Ages 14-18, Northamptonshire, Feb 2018

 

[alice500]

but after becoming aware, still drove far enough before pulling over that they all died?

why not pull over immediately to 'secure' his load?

The UK Government recommendations for drivers can be found here

Secure your vehicle to help stop illegal immigration

 

[SOMETHINGWILLDO]

1. Just clearing up a few misconceptions.
   It’s very common for businesses here in Northern Ireland to have their accountants address listed as the company address, there are very few businesses on companies house listed at the directors actual home address. Sometimes when a company is first started it will be listed at the home address and then gets changed over - this is nothing to be alarmed about. Common practice. I have done the same myself.
   
   Secondly, a refrigerated trailer would be more airtight than a standard trailer for obvious reasons. If it has indeed been delayed in transit there lies your problem.
   
   As for Mo Robinson, he lives 10 minutes from me and it’s hard not to have some sympathy for him and his partner, what unfolded in Essex wasn’t his fault but it appears he’ll be paying the price for it.
   
   Smuggling is rife in Northern Ireland & Ireland, it’s common knowledge. Alcohol and cigarettes being the main cargo.
   
   It is rumoured that Mo got paid £5000 for lifting the trailer and bringing it to the industrial park to let the illegal immigrants out. The reason he stopped where he stopped and opened the back door is because that’s where they were supposed to get out. Of course, we all know when he opened the door he found them dead. They were dead before he lifted the trailer.
   
   The reports brandishing Mo as a monster are ridiculous. The reporting on this leaves a lot to be desired and although I am not sticking up for the entire situation I will state what many have forgotten - these people had made the decision to contact a trafficker in their home country, they then PAID the trafficker a substantial sum of money to take them on a dangerous, illegal journey knowing full well of the possible implications of doing so. If reports are correct, those same people had been caught just 24 hours previous trying to get into the country and decided to try again.
   
   To most, like Mo, getting 5k for a 30 minute drop off is quiet tempting, it’s handy money, doesn’t make him a king pin human trafficker, hell, if I was a lorry driver I probably would have taken it too.
   
   I would believe reports that he passed out, the lorry drivers are normal people making a few quid from moving something from A to B, they’re certainly not mass murderers, far from it. It’s the higher guys on this whole pyramid of things that are the real criminals.
   
   Do I think it’s unfair of him to be charged with counts on 39 people? Yes, I do. But the British police need to be shown to be doing something productive as this has went worldwide.
   
   “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes” springs to mind for everyone in this whole case. Looks like everyone involved will be paying with their lives.
   
   

 

[alice500]

Do I remember correctly that an early report maintained that the Trailer hire people (GTR) had said that this was the first hiring of a reefer by this company (C. Hughes?) from them.

One might speculate that in the past other sorts of trailer had been used ... the sort with flexible coverings at the sides? Maybe?

One might also speculate that the switch to reefer was to counter the use of improved scanning tech at the ports?

 

[Thelastleg]

I am still not happy with the "seal" thing..... I think there is confusion ...

Seal could be hermetic ... door not allowing air through

or something applied by driver -his own lock to prevent unauthorised access to a locked trailer (or container) I refer back to my earlier post of Defence Force guidelines


or a mechanism applied by someone in authority to try to guarantee the security of the cargo

I was thinking of something like this. This could be used in legitimate transport to ensure that the cargo had not been tampered with in transit. Perhaps required by whoever received the goods. Jmo

 

[alice500]

No further information on the other trips made by the trailer (GTR128D) between 15th Oct and the 22nd? One does wonder which drivers and trucks were involved in it's peregrinations between those dates.

 

[alice500]

I was thinking of something like this. This could be used in legitimate transport to ensure that the cargo had not been tampered with in transit. Perhaps required by whoever received the goods. Jmo

I think it is also suggested that drivers have a lock to prevent unlawful ingress to an EMPTY trailer.

I am intrigued as to how this would work if one driver is delivering the trailer to, say, Zeebrugge ... and another is picking it up in, say, Purfleet.. ,

Some sort of combination lock perhaps? And you would think that in the case of ANY trailer the driver would check that what he was picking up was as expected ... at the point of pickup.

I am not familiar with such things, but if you were picking up an EMPTY trailer .. would you not check it was empty at the dockside, when you connected your tractor to it?

 

[RachelZachary]

1. Just clearing up a few misconceptions.
   It’s very common for businesses here in Northern Ireland to have their accountants address listed as the company address, there are very few businesses on companies house listed at the directors actual home address. Sometimes when a company is first started it will be listed at the home address and then gets changed over - this is nothing to be alarmed about. Common practice. I have done the same myself.

Nobody has stated there’s an issue with the registered office being changed to a solicitor.

 

[RachelZachary]

1. Just clearing up a few misconceptions.
   It’s very common for businesses here in Northern Ireland to have their accountants address listed as the company address, there are very few businesses on companies house listed at the directors actual home address. Sometimes when a company is first started it will be listed at the home address and then gets changed over - this is nothing to be alarmed about. Common practice. I have done the same myself.
   
   Secondly, a refrigerated trailer would be more airtight than a standard trailer for obvious reasons. If it has indeed been delayed in transit there lies your problem.
   
   As for Mo Robinson, he lives 10 minutes from me and it’s hard not to have some sympathy for him and his partner, what unfolded in Essex wasn’t his fault but it appears he’ll be paying the price for it.
   
   Smuggling is rife in Northern Ireland & Ireland, it’s common knowledge. Alcohol and cigarettes being the main cargo.
   
   It is rumoured that Mo got paid £5000 for lifting the trailer and bringing it to the industrial park to let the illegal immigrants out. The reason he stopped where he stopped and opened the back door is because that’s where they were supposed to get out. Of course, we all know when he opened the door he found them dead. They were dead before he lifted the trailer.
   
   The reports brandishing Mo as a monster are ridiculous. The reporting on this leaves a lot to be desired and although I am not sticking up for the entire situation I will state what many have forgotten - these people had made the decision to contact a trafficker in their home country, they then PAID the trafficker a substantial sum of money to take them on a dangerous, illegal journey knowing full well of the possible implications of doing so. If reports are correct, those same people had been caught just 24 hours previous trying to get into the country and decided to try again.
   
   To most, like Mo, getting 5k for a 30 minute drop off is quiet tempting, it’s handy money, doesn’t make him a king pin human trafficker, hell, if I was a lorry driver I probably would have taken it too.
   
   I would believe reports that he passed out, the lorry drivers are normal people making a few quid from moving something from A to B, they’re certainly not mass murderers, far from it. It’s the higher guys on this whole pyramid of things that are the real criminals.
   
   Do I think it’s unfair of him to be charged with counts on 39 people? Yes, I do. But the British police need to be shown to be doing something productive as this has went worldwide.
   
   “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes” springs to mind for everyone in this whole case. Looks like everyone involved will be paying with their lives.
   

I understand the sympathy and of course everyone knows that Mo played a small part, of course he didn’t want that outcome. But ultimately he chose and decided to take part - in an illegal and exploitative operation. It cannot be underestimated how serious and damaging trafficking is. Personally I wouldn’t do it for a million pounds. For any amount of money. But then I’m not a criminal. And I don’t take risks with peoples lives.

 

[HayLouise]

Do we have the MSM link that says the police flew MOs parents over .... im still trying to work out why they would do this , unless 1) it’s bad reporting and they flew over on their own accord to be near him and his solicitor 2) it’s such a rare case that the police did use them to help coax out info from Mo

Essex lorry deaths: Suspect Mo Robinson's parents fly from Northern Ireland to support son - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

 

[Sarahlou]

I don't feel sorry for anyone involved in this horrid mess, apart from the victims. The criminals all knew what they were doing.

 

[Mommysleuth11]

Because you would put a personal plate on a hire car.

In my experience, people that have expensive cars but live in 'normal' houses are up to no good. JMO

I knew a "business man" a few years back. He had a struggling electronics ltd company, top of the range Mercs (leased), and they were running on personal plates.

 

[LuluR38]

1. Just clearing up a few misconceptions.
   It’s very common for businesses here in Northern Ireland to have their accountants address listed as the company address, there are very few businesses on companies house listed at the directors actual home address. Sometimes when a company is first started it will be listed at the home address and then gets changed over - this is nothing to be alarmed about. Common practice. I have done the same myself.
   
   Secondly, a refrigerated trailer would be more airtight than a standard trailer for obvious reasons. If it has indeed been delayed in transit there lies your problem.
   
   As for Mo Robinson, he lives 10 minutes from me and it’s hard not to have some sympathy for him and his partner, what unfolded in Essex wasn’t his fault but it appears he’ll be paying the price for it.
   
   Smuggling is rife in Northern Ireland & Ireland, it’s common knowledge. Alcohol and cigarettes being the main cargo.
   
   It is rumoured that Mo got paid £5000 for lifting the trailer and bringing it to the industrial park to let the illegal immigrants out. The reason he stopped where he stopped and opened the back door is because that’s where they were supposed to get out. Of course, we all know when he opened the door he found them dead. They were dead before he lifted the trailer.
   
   The reports brandishing Mo as a monster are ridiculous. The reporting on this leaves a lot to be desired and although I am not sticking up for the entire situation I will state what many have forgotten - these people had made the decision to contact a trafficker in their home country, they then PAID the trafficker a substantial sum of money to take them on a dangerous, illegal journey knowing full well of the possible implications of doing so. If reports are correct, those same people had been caught just 24 hours previous trying to get into the country and decided to try again.
   
   To most, like Mo, getting 5k for a 30 minute drop off is quiet tempting, it’s handy money, doesn’t make him a king pin human trafficker, hell, if I was a lorry driver I probably would have taken it too.
   
   I would believe reports that he passed out, the lorry drivers are normal people making a few quid from moving something from A to B, they’re certainly not mass murderers, far from it. It’s the higher guys on this whole pyramid of things that are the real criminals.
   
   Do I think it’s unfair of him to be charged with counts on 39 people? Yes, I do. But the British police need to be shown to be doing something productive as this has went worldwide.
   
   “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes” springs to mind for everyone in this whole case. Looks like everyone involved will be paying with their lives.
   

No sympathy for Mo. He likely knew entirely what he was getting into given he stopped in a known trafficking hotspot and opened his doors. Whenever money is easy money then is clearly too good to be true so if he wasn’t shifting people what’s to say it couldn’t have been something else equally as as sinister without a care. He is part of the conspiracy, no matter how small a part he played, and if he has decent he’ll cough to everything he knows. It’s a Shame he’s the only one who’ll be haunted by the images he’s seen of the victims as they all deserve to have that imprinted in their minds forever more...

 

[alice500]

Lots of emotion here... all about the victims .. and I think it is possible that MR may have been one himself.

Maybe what is more important is the motivation of Ronan Hughes to rent the trailer from GTR for a week?

 

[RachelZachary]

GPS data reveals trajectory of refrigerated trailer in which migrants died

The Irish Times has established that during this time the trailer was leased by its owner, Global Trailer Rentals (GTR), to a Co Monaghan-based haulier.

The lease document was signed by Ronan Hughes, who gave an address matching that of the haulier, C Hughes Transport.

It is understood that Mr Hughes is related to the directors of this company. Efforts to seek comment from the Hughes haulage firm, which was wound up in 2017, were unsuccessful.

 

[RachelZachary]

Man 'who leased the lorry container in which 39 migrants died is named' | Daily Mail Online

‘Friends of Mr Robinson said he had worked for C Hughes Transport in the past.’

 

[SOMETHINGWILLDO]

GPS data reveals trajectory of refrigerated trailer in which migrants died

The Irish Times has established that during this time the trailer was leased by its owner, Global Trailer Rentals (GTR), to a Co Monaghan-based haulier.

The lease document was signed by Ronan Hughes, who gave an address matching that of the haulier, C Hughes Transport.

It is understood that Mr Hughes is related to the directors of this company. Efforts to seek comment from the Hughes haulage firm, which was wound up in 2017, were unsuccessful.

Now trading as C Hughes Logistics according to reports

 

[Ched]

‘I know he was in that truck because I have relatives who are working over there [in the UK] who called me and told me.

‘They were supposed to pick him up at the drop point but then they called and told me Tu was in that truck.’
Federal police in Belgium are studying CCTV footage of the haulier who transported the 39 migrants into Zeebrugge site.

It has emerged that the driver was picked up by CCTV cameras ten times at the port.

more details of new possible victims Sickening people trafficker offers to smuggle an undercover reporter to London for £14k | Daily Mail Online