Marius Mihai Draghici is suspected of being involved in a plot that led to the deaths of the Vietnamese nationals, whose bodies were discovered in the lorry container in Essex last year. The victims – men, women and children, aged between 15 and 44 – had suffocated after being locked in an airtight unit for nearly 12 hours. The truck had been shipped from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Purfleet on 23 October 2019. Police suspect Romanian national Draghici was part of the network coordinating the migrants’ trips to the UK and said they were looking for the 48-year-old in connection with the fatal journey and several events leading up to it. Essex Police said they are using a “number of tactics” to track him down and have also released a photo of Dragic in the hope people can help identify him. Read more: Dangerous journey that left 39 dead Essex lorry: All 39 bodies found in trailer identified
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Draghici is known to work in the transport industry and has connections to Bacau in Romania and Spain. Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalf 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 terms of almost 100 years in total.” Follow The Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker Four of the 10 people arrested for their role were crime bosses Gheorghe Nica, 45, from Basildon, Ronan Hughes, 42, from Armagh, lorry drivers Maurice Robinson, 27, from Craigavon and Eamonn Harrison, 25, from Co Down. They were convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to smuggle people. “Marius Dragicci remains an outstanding suspect and, as we have promised and already delivered, our pursuit of justice will not stop at our borders and within our borders,” said DCI Metcalfe. “I would like to appeal to the public in Romania and indeed in Spain; help us locate Marius Draghici.” Anyone who had any contact with Marius Draghici and believes they know his whereabouts is urged to submit information via the police online portal
