Lorry boss who is on the run with his brother 'phoned police moments after driver was arrested' over deaths of 39 stowaways found in truck container 'in bid to learn what investigators knew'

• Police in Northern Ireland, Ireland and England are hunting lorry firm brothers
  
• It was reported today that he rang police soon after bodies were found in Essex
  
• He said driver was 'legit', but it's suspected call was to find out what police knew

By Richard Spillett for MailOnline and James Tozer for Daily Mail and Ali Bracken For The Irish Daily Mail
Published: 20:04 AEDT, 30 October 2019 | Updated: 22:52 AEDT, 30 October 2019



A lorry firm boss reportedly phoned police investigating the deaths of 39 stowaways in Essex in an apparent bid to find out what they knew.

Ronan Hughes and his brother Christopher are wanted on suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking after the group of migrants were found dead in a container in Thurrock last week.

It was reported this morning that Ronan, who is believed to own the lorry in which the bodies were found, phoned police shortly after the grim discovery was made.

In the 2am call, he is said to have claimed that the driver, Mo Robinson, had nothing to do with people smuggling and didn't know of the container's cargo.

A source told BelfastLive: 'Hughes confirmed he knew Robinson and pushed to get a number of questions answered. He gave his [own] date of birth and an address.

'We believe he was trying to establish how much and what information the police had at that time. He appeared willing to co-operate with police but he has not been contactable since.'


...more at link
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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Police charge a SECOND Northern Irish lorry driver, 22, with manslaughter 'after he drove death truck to Zeebrugge before 39 migrants were found inside' - and arrest two people in Vietnam

• Eamon Harrison, 22, believed to have delivered container to Zeebrugge, Belgium
  
• He appeared in Dublin court today ahead of extradition to UK later this month
  
• Mo Robinson, 25, who picked it up, charged with manslaughter and trafficking
  
• Ronan and Chris Hughes from Co Armagh are still missing ten days after tragedy
  
• Police in Northern Ireland, Ireland and England are hunting lorry firm brothers
  
• Detective confirms claims that Ronan rang police in Essex and NI after deaths
  
• He said driver was 'legit', but it's suspected call was to find out what police knew

By Martin Robinson Chief Reporter and James Fielding For Mailonline
Published: 22:07 AEDT, 1 November 2019 | Updated: 05:27 AEDT, 2 November 2019

Police today charged a second Northern Irish lorry driver with 39 counts of manslaughter as two suspects were also arrested in Vietnam over the dozens of migrants found dead in the back of a lorry outside an Essex port.

Eamon Harrison, 22, from County Down - the man believed to have delivered the ill-fated container to Zeebrugge, Belgium - is also accused of conspiracy to commit a human trafficking and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

Essex Police has started extradition proceedings to bring Harrison from Ireland to the UK to face the charges in the next few weeks.

Harrison, who appeared in a Dublin court today, faces the same charges as Mo Robinson, 25, who picked up the -25C trailer from Purfleet port on Wednesday, October 23.

The new suspect was arrested on Saturday while coming off an Irish ferry at Dublin Port on Saturday for two unrelated minor offences. His lorry was also impounded by armed police.

But today officers charged him with manslaughter in the holding cells of the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin.

He appeared before Mr Justice Donald Binchy in the High Court this morning following the endorsement of a European Arrest Warrant. He has been remanded to Cloverhill Prison in Dublin until November 11.

Eamon Harrison, 22, from County Down, believed to have delivered the ill-fated container to Zeebrugge, Belgium, charged with 39 counts of manslaughter today.
Mo Robinson, 25, who picked it up, has already appeared in court accused of the same thing


Armed Irish police officers escort a cab to a police station in Dublin last Saturday. It is the same cab that drove the ill-fated trailer from Zeebrugge,
Belgium, believed to have had Harrison behind the wheel

...more at link
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... nd-in.html

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Vietnam arrests eight in connection with UK truck deaths: state media

HANOI (Reuters) - Police in Vietnam have arrested eight people in relation to the discovery of 39 bodies in a truck near London last week, state media said on Monday.

“Based on what we learn from the suspects, we will actively launch investigations to fight and eradicate these rings which bring people illegally to Britain,” said Nghe An province police chief Nguyen Huu Cau, according to the official Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

On Friday, Vietnamese police arrested two people and summoned others for questioning on suspicion of involvement in the incident.

...more at link
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brit ... SKBN1XE0LJ

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light