Possessions returned to families of 39 victims found dead in a container in Essex
That investigation began in the early hours of Wednesday 23 October 2019, when the 39 men, women and children were found unresponsive in the trailer of a lorry
The personal possessions of 39 Vietnamese people tragically found dead in a container in Essex have been returned to their families.
The investigation began in the early hours of Wednesday 23 October 2019, when the 39 men, women and children were found unresponsive in the trailer of a lorry by its driver Maurice Robinson, in Eastern Avenue, Grays.
The lorry had travelled from Zeebrugge in Belgium to the Port of Purfleet.
Each of the 39 victims, and their families, had paid significant sums of money to an organised crime group whose members promised them safe passage to the UK and a life here.
As part of that investigation, 11 people were convicted for their parts in the wider conspiracy, with sentences totalling 117 years in jail.
Eighteen people were also convicted of linked offences in France in November last year.
A delegation led by Detective Chief Superintendent Stuart Hooper from Essex Police and DI Michelle Stoten travelled to Vietnam to repatriate each of the victims’ belongings with their families.
Det Ch Supt Hooper said: “Bringing the victims’ belongings home to their families represents the final act of our most complex and far-reaching investigation ever carried out in Essex and it was humbling to represent our force in Vietnam.
“During our meetings, we were reminded by the Vietnamese delegation of our chief constable’s promise; to bring those responsible to justice, to treat each victim and their family with dignity and respect
At this stage, those convicted have been ordered to pay a total of £283,802.58 as compensation to the families of the 39 victims. Some aspects of that sum remain part of ongoing court proceedings.