Romanian man detained by police in Grays lorry deaths case

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

Police searching for a Romanian man in connection with the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants found in a trailer in Essex have made an arrest.

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

Marius Mihai Draghici, 48, suspected of being part of the trafficking network, was detained in Bucharest.

An application is now being made to extradite Mr Draghici to the UK, Essex Police said.

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

Marius Mihai Draghici has been detained in Bucharest, Essex Police confirmed

Police said Mr Draghici was detained by Romanian officers following the execution of a European Arrest Warrant.

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.

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