Icon: enlarge
Investigators at the place where the bodies were found: The victims each paid more than 10,000 euros
Photo:
Hannah Mckay / REUTERS
More than a year after the death of 39 Vietnamese in a refrigerated truck, a London court has imposed long prison sentences on the gang of smugglers responsible.
The two main defendants received sentences of 27 and 20 years in prison, respectively, according to the Old Bailey Criminal Court.
The two main defendants, aged 43 and 41 respectively, were found guilty of manslaughter and human trafficking in December.
Two other men who had also already been found guilty received prison sentences of 18 years and 13 years and four months.
According to the AFP news agency, they are two truck drivers.
The dead were discovered in a truck on October 23, 2019 in Grays, east of London.
There were 31 men and 8 women from Vietnam.
They had each paid more than 10,000 euros to be brought to the UK.
According to experts, the temperature in the sealed container rose to 40 degrees during the crossing from Belgium to England.
The migrants had no chance of survival.
After the body was found, numerous suspects were arrested in France and Belgium for helping to smuggle migrants from Southeast Asia.
Suspected members of a human trafficking ring have also been arrested and convicted in Vietnam.
Two weeks ago, the victims' last harrowing voice messages were played in court.
Among other things, a man could be heard who was clearly gasping for air.
“I want to go back to my family.
Have a good life, ”he said, groaning from other victims in the background.
Icon: The mirror
apr / dpa / AFP