Essex Police seek Romanian man in Grays lorry deaths probe

The bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals were discovered in a refrigerated trailer on 23 October 2019

Police are searching for a Romanian man they want to speak to in connection with the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants found in a trailer in Essex.

The migrants, 10 of them teenagers, were found in the back of a refrigerated trailer in Grays in 2019.

Essex Police want to speak to Marius Mihai Draghici, 48, who is suspected of being part of the trafficking network connected to the deaths.

Ten other people have been sentenced for their roles in the case.

Police say Mr Draghici is suspected of being part of the network which co-ordinated journeys to the UK both in connection with the deaths of the Vietnamese migrants and on a number of occasions prior to 23 October 2019.

Marius Mihai Draghici is wanted for questioning in connection with the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants

Each of the lorry victims, and their families, had paid significant sums of money to an organised criminal group that promised a better life and safe passage to the UK.

A spokesman for the force said: "Draghici also goes by the aliases Marius Mihai Selaru and Marius Lupu and was born in the Romanian city, Onesti.

"We know he has specific connections in the Bacau area of Romania as well as in Spain. He is also known to work in the haulage industry."

The 39 people who died in the back of a trailer as it crossed the North Sea between Zeebrugge and the UK

Det Ch Insp Louise Metcalfe, who is leading the investigation, said: "The investigation into the tragic deaths of the 39 Vietnamese nationals is the most complex ever undertaken by Essex Police.

"So far, we have brought 10 people to justice and achieved prison sentences of almost 100 years in total. But we made a promise to the families of those who lost their lives in Essex in October 2019 that we would not stop until justice has been delivered in its entirety."

"Draghici is wanted in connection with a very serious offence. We strongly believe he is linked to the conspiracy which tragically ripped apart the families of the 39 innocent Vietnamese men, women and children who died on our shores in 2019."