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(CNN Spanish) - A murder investigation was initiated after 39 bodies were found in a truck in Essex, southeast England, on Wednesday morning, police said.
A 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland has been arrested. A local councilor identified him as Morris Robinson.
Police believe that the container truck arrived from Belgium to England in the early morning, although it is believed that the truck - with license plates from Bulgaria - departed from Northern Ireland.
Truck driver identified as Morris Robinson
The driver of a truck that was found with 39 bodies within the city of Grays, England, on Wednesday was identified by a local councilor such as Morris Robinson.
Paul Berry, the local councilor of Armagh (the area where Robinson lives in Northern Ireland), told CNN that he learned of the arrest after speaking with Robinson's father.
Berry confirmed to CNN the identity of the driver and said he was known locally as "Mo". He said Robinson's family is "the salt of the earth [expression to refer to reliable people] and we clearly need to give them space."
Early Wednesday, Essex police said a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland remains in custody on suspicion of murder.
"I will not comment on the identity of the suspect," said Essex police chief deputy Pippa Mills during a press conference.
The truck had not re-entered Bulgaria since 2017
Bulgarian Prime Minister said today that the truck found with 39 bodies inside in Grays, England, had not entered Bulgaria since 2017.
Speaking on the Bulgarian television channel bTV, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said: "The truck was registered in 2017, in Bulgaria."
"Then he leaves Bulgaria and never enters Bulgaria again," he said. “There is no way we can be connected, except for the license plate of the truck. Despite this, we are working very well with the British authorities. ”
CNN saw that the truck was moved on Wednesday afternoon. Police said they would move to a "safe place" at the Tilbury docks, about 20 minutes by car from Grays, to "maintain the dignity of those who lost their lives."
9 people were found alive in another separate truck on a UK road, according to police
In a separate incident, nine people, all alive, were found in the back of a truck, Kent police said in the United Kingdom today.
They were found on a road and "now the Southeast Coast Ambulance Service is checking them before passing them to immigration officials from the Ministry of Interior," the statement said.
With information from Nima Avramova, Sarah Dean, Katie Polglase and Peter Taggart of CNN
Corpses Truck