People smuggler jailed for manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese migrants

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The prosecution case is that Draghici became party to a sophisticated, long-running and highly profitable conspiracy to smuggle illegal migrants to the United Kingdom, in the back of lorries, in a deliberate and intentional breach of border control Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC The victims – aged between 15 and 44 – had hoped for a better life in Britain when they agreed to pay up to £13,000 a head for a “VIP” smuggling service. Setting out Draghici’s involvement, Mr Emlyn Jones said: “The prosecution case is that Draghici became party to a sophisticated, long-running and highly profitable conspiracy to smuggle illegal migrants to the United Kingdom, in the back of lorries, in a deliberate and intentional breach of border control.” Draghici was recruited by fellow Romanian Nica and became his effective “right-hand man” and they were “inseparable”, the prosecutor said. So Nica is above Draghici in the pecking order.” But he said of Draghici: “He was not just acting as a driver but playing the role of something of a right-hand man to Mr Nica.” – The 39 victims were: Dinh Dinh Binh, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Huy Phong, Le Van Ha, Nguyen Van Hiep, Bui Phan Thang, Nguyen Van Hung, Nguyen Huy Hung, Nguyen Tien Dung, Pham Thi Tra My, Tran Khanh Tho, Nguyen Van Nhan, Vo Ngoc Nam, Vo Van Linh, Nguyen Ba Vu Hung, Vo Nhan Du, Tran Hai Loc, Tran Manh Hung, Nguyen Thi Van, Bui Thi Nhung, Hoang Van Tiep, Tran Thi Ngoc, Phan Thi Thanh, Tran Thi Tho, Duong Minh Tuan, Pham Thi Ngoc Oanh, Tran Thi Mai Nhung, Le Trong Thanh, Nguyen Ngoc Ha, Hoang Van Hoi, Tran Ngoc Hieu, Cao Tien Dung, Dinh Dinh Thai Quyen, Dang Huu Tuyen, Nguyen Dinh Luong, Cao Huy Thanh, Nguyen Trong Thai, Nguyen Tho Tuan and Nguyen Dinh Tu. “NCA officers in the UK and overseas worked closely with Essex Police and our international partners to ensure Draghici was tracked down in Romania and brought back to the UK to face justice.” Russell Tyner, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “It is devastating that 39 people who put their trust in an unscrupulous network of people smugglers have lost their lives because of the traffickers’ sheer greed and recklessness.