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Reuters

British police, investigating the deaths of 39 people found dead in the back of a truck near London last week, made a direct appeal on Friday to two brothers from Northern Ireland to hand themselves in to detectives.
Police said Ronan Hughes and his brother Christopher are crucial to their inquiries into the discovery of the bodies of 31 men and eight women in the container on an industrial estate in Grays, Essex.
The brothers are wanted on suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking and Daniel Stoten, the officer leading the police inquiry, said they had spoken by telephone to Ronan Hughes recently but they needed to question them in person.
“Today I want to make a direct appeal. Ronan and Christopher, hand yourselves in to the Police Service of Northern Ireland,” Detective Chief Inspector Stoten said.
In Vietnam, families contemplate the perilous journey of truck victims
“We need you both to come forward and assist this investigation.”
On Friday, Irish broadcaster RTE said a Northern Irish man is facing multiple counts of manslaughter charges in relation to the truck deaths.
Eamon Harrison, 23, appeared in court in Dublin after the endorsement of a European Arrest Warrant, RTE said.
The discovery of the bodies has shone a spotlight on the illicit trade that sends the poor of Asia, Africa and the Middle East on perilous journeys to the West.
Police originally said the victims were believed to be Chinese but Vietnam fears many of the deceased were its citizens.




The bodies were found in the early hours of October 23 after the container arrived in Britain from Zeebrugge in Belgium. The container was picked up at Purfleet dock, east of London, by a truck allegedly driven by Maurice Robinson, who is from Northern Ireland.
On Monday, Robinson, 25, appeared in court accused of manslaughter, money laundering, conspiracy to traffic people and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
Families of missing Vietnamese stuck with crippling debt
Stoten said Ronan Hughes, 40, and Christopher, 34, from Armagh in Northern Ireland were known to have links in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to the haulage and shipping industries.
Global Trailer Rentals (GTR), the owner of the trailer, said Ronan Hughes had signed the papers to rent the container.
“The lease document was signed by Ronan Hughes, who gave an address matching that of the haulier, C Hughes Transport,” the lawyers for GTR said. Christopher Hughes is listed as a director of C Hughes Logistics Ltd based in Armagh.


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Britain

Northern Irish brothers told to hand themselves in over Essex truck deaths

Police officers drive away a truck in which 39 bodies were discovered in Britain. Photo: AFP

Ronan Hughes (R) and his brother Christopher Hughes. Photo: AP/Essex police

‘I am sure he is dead’: In Vietnam, families contemplate the perilous journey of suspected Essex truck victims

Nguyen Dinh Gia’s son, Luong, is thought to be one of the 39 victims found dead on a truck in Essex. Photo: Handout

Police is seen at the scene where bodies were discovered in a lorry container, in Grays, Essex, Britain October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Nguyen Dinh Gia fears his son Luong was among the 39 migrants found dead in a truck in Britain. Photo: Handout

Vietnam makes arrests as it cracks down on people smuggling after UK truck deaths

A portrait of 20-year-old Nguyen Dinh Luong, who is feared to be among the 39 people found dead in a truck in Britain, is kept on a prayer altar at his house in Vietnam's Ha Tinh province. Vietnamese police are cracking down on people smuggling. Photo: AFP

British police find 39 bodies in truck believed to have come from Bulgaria

British police forensic officers at the scene after a truck was found with 39 bodies inside in Thurock, southeast England. Photo: AP

An aerial view as police forensic officers attend the scene after a truck, seen at centre, was found to contain a large number of dead bodies, in Thurrock, South England, Wednesday Oct. 23, 2019. Police in southeastern England said that 39 people were found dead Wednesday inside a container truck believed to have come from Bulgaria. (UK Pool via AP)

View of a truck, seen in rear, that was found to contain a large number of dead bodies, in Thurrock, South England, early Wednesday Oct. 23, 2019. Police in southeastern England said that 39 people were found dead Wednesday inside the truck container believed to have come from Bulgaria. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)

Police officers block the road near the scene where a truck was found to contain a large number of dead bodies, in Thurrock, South England, early Wednesday Oct. 23, 2019. Police in southeastern England said that 39 people were found dead Wednesday inside the truck container believed to have come from Bulgaria. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)

UK truck deaths: families of missing Vietnamese migrants stuck with crippling debt

Nguyen Dinh Gia (right), father of Nguyen Dinh Luong, one of the suspected truck death victims, is embraced by a friend at his home in Ha Tinh province, Vietnam, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Hoang Lanh, father of 18-year old Hoang Van Tiep who is feared to be among the 39 people found dead in a truck in Britain, looks at his son's photograph on his phone at their house in Dien Thinh commune of Vietnam's Nghe An province on October 28, 2019. - Vietnamese officials collected DNA samples on October 27 from relatives of those feared among 39 people found dead in a truck in Britain, a security source and a family member told AFP, as villagers held emotional prayers for the victims. (Photo by Nhac NGUYEN / AFP)

A handout photo made available by Essex Police in London on October 29, 2019, shows Christopher Hughes (L) and his brother Ronan Hughes, who are being sought in connection with the discovery of the 39 Vietnamese bodies found in a truck in Grays on October 23. - British police probing the deaths of 39 people in a truck said Tuesday they want to question two Northern Irish brothers on suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking. Essex Police, which is investigating last week's disaster, said they wanted to speak to Ronan Hughes, 40, and his 34-year-old brother Christopher, who are both from Armagh. Eight women and 31 men were found Wednesday in a refrigeration truck trailer that entered Britain on a ferry from Belgium. Several Vietnamese families fear their relatives are among the dead. (Photo by HO / Essex Police / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / ESSEX POLICE " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Tran Thi Hien (C), mother of Bui Thi Nhung, who is feared to be among the 39 people found dead in a truck in Britain, is consoled inside her house in Vietnam's Nghe An province on October 26, 2019. - A photo of her missing daughter Bui Thi Nhung, an offering of fruit and a bouquet of flowers -- a makeshift shrine laid by a desperate mother in a remote Vietnamese town many fear was home to some of the 39 people found dead in a truck in Britain. More than 20 Vietnamese are feared to be among the bodies found in a refrigerated trailer in an industrial park in Essex east of London on October 23. (Photo by NHAC NGUYEN / AFP)

Essex truck deaths: why are so many Chinese and Vietnamese being trafficked to the UK?

Police at the scene where 39 bodies were discovered in a lorry container, in Essex, Britain. Photo: Reuters

epa07946455 People hold a candlelight vigil for the victims that died in a lorry container, in London, Britain, 24 October 2019. A total of 39 bodies were discovered inside a lorry container in Grays, Essex in the early hours of 23 October, and pronounced dead at the scene. EPA-EFE/ANDY RAIN

epa07402965 A handout photo made available by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) on 28 February 2019 shows a GPO officer holding a marijuana seedling inside a greenhouse during the opening ceremony of the first indoor cannabis farm in Thailand, at GPO facilities in Pathum Thani province, Thailand, 27 February 2019 (issued 28 February). The GPO is to open the first legal marijuana farm which is producing the first legal crop of the plant out of the ASEAN countries. Thailand is intending to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. EPA-EFE/GPO / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Maurice Robinson. Photo: Facebook

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British police said Ronan Hughes and his brother Christopher are crucial to their inquiries into the discovery of the 39 bodies in the container
A second man is facing multiple counts of manslaughter charges in relation to the deaths



British police said Ronan Hughes and his brother Christopher are crucial to their inquiries into the discovery of the 39 bodies in the container.


Vietnam

Human trafficking

UK truck deaths

Crime

Northern Irish brothers told to hand themselves in over Essex truck deaths

British police said Ronan Hughes and his brother Christopher are crucial to their inquiries into the discovery of the 39 bodies in the container A second man is facing multiple counts of manslaughter charges in relation to the deaths

British police said Ronan Hughes and his brother Christopher are crucial to their inquiries into the discovery of the 39 bodies in the container

A second man is facing multiple counts of manslaughter charges in relation to the deaths