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Tilbury migrant death: criminal syndicate behind people-smuggling plot Tilbury migrant death: prosecution blames criminal syndicate
(35 minutes later)
A large and organised criminal syndicate was responsible for a people-smuggling operation that resulted in the death of an Afghan national who was found dead inside a container at Tilbury docks, alongside 34 other highly distressed migrants.A large and organised criminal syndicate was responsible for a people-smuggling operation that resulted in the death of an Afghan national who was found dead inside a container at Tilbury docks, alongside 34 other highly distressed migrants.
Four men have denied their involvement in the conspiracy to bring 35 people, most of them Afghan Sikhs, from Belgium to the UK last year.Four men have denied their involvement in the conspiracy to bring 35 people, most of them Afghan Sikhs, from Belgium to the UK last year.
Ten men, 10 women and 15 children were discovered inside the 40ft metal container by police at the Essex port in August 2014, many of them suffering from breathing difficulties caused by being locked in a very confined space overnight.Ten men, 10 women and 15 children were discovered inside the 40ft metal container by police at the Essex port in August 2014, many of them suffering from breathing difficulties caused by being locked in a very confined space overnight.
“One of the men, travelling with his wife and two young children, was found to have died during the crossing while locked inside the container. He had passed away during the smuggling operation overnight,” the prosecution lawyer, Michael Goodwin, told the jury at Basildon crown court on Tuesday.“One of the men, travelling with his wife and two young children, was found to have died during the crossing while locked inside the container. He had passed away during the smuggling operation overnight,” the prosecution lawyer, Michael Goodwin, told the jury at Basildon crown court on Tuesday.
Twelve of the children were under the age of 10 when they were brought out of the container, and the youngest was 16 months old. They had been concealed in a small area, just 4ft high, at the top of a container which had been loaded up with barrels of water. Twelve of the children were under the age of 10 when they were brought out of the container and the youngest was 16 months old. They had been concealed in a small area, just 4ft high, at the top of a container which had been loaded up with barrels of water.
The court heard details of a sophisticated people-smuggling operation organised by a syndicate which the prosecution alleged had members based in Northern Ireland, Belgium and London, some of whom were making regular trips to France and Belgium, with co-conspirators making frequent short calls to each other.The court heard details of a sophisticated people-smuggling operation organised by a syndicate which the prosecution alleged had members based in Northern Ireland, Belgium and London, some of whom were making regular trips to France and Belgium, with co-conspirators making frequent short calls to each other.
Some of the accused had multiple sim cards, and gave different home addresses, email addresses and phone numbers on different occasions, when making ferry and Eurostar bookings. The case, which is expected to last several weeks, will hear evidence of the precise logistical preparations needed to smuggle large consignments of human “freight” into the UK. Some of the accused had multiple sim cards and gave different home addresses, email addresses and phone numbers on different occasions when making ferry and Eurostar bookings. The case, which is expected to last several weeks, will hear evidence of the precise logistical preparations needed to smuggle large consignments of human “freight” into the UK.
Port officials were alerted to the presence of the 35 migrants when they heard knocking and shouting from inside the container, which was still on board the ship, at 6am on Saturday 16 August last year. The surviving 34 were given immediate medical attention and were taken to hospital. They have all subsequently claimed asylum and their applications are being considered. Port officials were alerted to the presence of the 35 migrants when they heard knocking and shouting from inside the container, which was still on board the ship, at 6am on Saturday 16 August last year. The surviving 34 were given immediate medical attention and taken to hospital. They have all subsequently claimed asylum and their applications are being considered.
The prosecution alleged that the migrants would have “paid substantial amounts of money” to the accused, who organised the transport for “financial gain”. “They were making money by the illegal smuggling of the clandestines. The size of the container involved very significant risks for those involved and therefore we suggest would have involved significant financial gain,” Goodwin told the jury. The prosecution alleged that the migrants would have paid “substantial amounts of money” to the accused, who organised the transport for “financial gain”. “They were making money by the illegal smuggling of the clandestines. The size of the container involved very significant risks for those involved and therefore we suggest would have involved significant financial gain,” Goodwin told the jury.
The Afghan Sikhs concealed in the container “escaped their homeland for different reasons. Their journeys differ and their experiences are not the same; their reasons for leaving their homeland you will have to consider,” Goodwin said. “The common intention was to travel by unlawful means. There is no dispute in this case that each of these individuals were trying to get into the country illegally.”The Afghan Sikhs concealed in the container “escaped their homeland for different reasons. Their journeys differ and their experiences are not the same; their reasons for leaving their homeland you will have to consider,” Goodwin said. “The common intention was to travel by unlawful means. There is no dispute in this case that each of these individuals were trying to get into the country illegally.”
Other people-smugglers had brought them across Europe to France and Belgium, where the final stage of their journey began.Other people-smugglers had brought them across Europe to France and Belgium, where the final stage of their journey began.
The prosecution alleges that the people-smuggling syndicate had made an earlier attempt to bring 12 Afghan migrants into the UK via Eurotunnel on 5 August 2014, but that operation had been unsuccessful, when the migrants were found concealed inside the back of the lorry, at the Coquelles Eurotunnel terminal in France. The prosecution alleges that the syndicate made an earlier attempt to bring 12 Afghan migrants into the UK via Eurotunnel on 5 August 2014, but that operation was unsuccessful, when the migrants were found concealed inside the back of the lorry at the Coquelles Eurotunnel terminal in France.
Stephen McLaughlin, 34, and Timothy Murphy, 33, both from Londonderry; Martin McGlinchey, 47, from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland; and Taha Sharif, 38, from Tottenham, London, have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK.Stephen McLaughlin, 34, and Timothy Murphy, 33, both from Londonderry; Martin McGlinchey, 47, from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland; and Taha Sharif, 38, from Tottenham, London, have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK.
A fifth conspirator, known only as Kurd Eng, was involved in the syndicate, the prosecution believes, but investigators have not managed to identify him. “Not every line of inquiry has been investigated. Resources are limited,” the court heard.A fifth conspirator, known only as Kurd Eng, was involved in the syndicate, the prosecution believes, but investigators have not managed to identify him. “Not every line of inquiry has been investigated. Resources are limited,” the court heard.
The prosecution said they would producing detailed data-based evidence of phone calls made between the four accused. This evidence indicates that Sharif made at least one phone call to Wahid Rahimi, one of the migrants, while he was still locked inside the container traveling to Zeebrugge. The prosecution said they would producing detailed data-based evidence of phone calls made between the four accused. This evidence indicates that Sharif made at least one phone call to Wahid Rahimi, one of the migrants, while he was still locked inside the container travelling to Zeebrugge.
Over the next few weeks, the prosecution will give evidence showing how all four accused, at least two of whom were lorry drivers, cooperated to plan the container shipment. “This was a professional operations. Each person had a vital role to play,” Goodwin said. In the weeks before the shipment, Sharif made several trips to Europe that the prosecution alleges were connected with people smuggling. Over the next few weeks, the prosecution will give evidence showing how all four accused, at least two of whom were lorry drivers, cooperated to plan the container shipment. “This was a professional operation. Each person had a vital role to play,” Goodwin said. In the weeks before the shipment, Sharif made several trips to Europe that the prosecution alleges were connected with people smuggling.
The jury would have to consider “why was it that he needed to keep going abroad for short periods of time”. The prosecution said he used “different contact addresses in a way that is inconsistent with someone going about his day-to-day business”.The jury would have to consider “why was it that he needed to keep going abroad for short periods of time”. The prosecution said he used “different contact addresses in a way that is inconsistent with someone going about his day-to-day business”.
Sharif travelled again to Europe on 14 August, to help ensure that the migrants from Afghanistan were successfully loaded on to the container which had been booked by one of his co-conspirators. Sharif travelled again to Europe on 14 August to help ensure that the migrants from Afghanistan were successfully loaded on to the container which had been booked by one of his co-conspirators.
“The container would have posed difficulties for the smugglers; it was large and he would have had to make sure that the clandestines were all there at the right place and right time, to be loaded without detection. There was a narrow window for that to take place,” the prosecution lawyer told the court.“The container would have posed difficulties for the smugglers; it was large and he would have had to make sure that the clandestines were all there at the right place and right time, to be loaded without detection. There was a narrow window for that to take place,” the prosecution lawyer told the court.
Sharif, driving a black Mercedes, “trailed the lorry being driven to Zeebrugge to ensure that nothing went wrong. He was effectively acting as back up on that trip,” Goodwin said.Sharif, driving a black Mercedes, “trailed the lorry being driven to Zeebrugge to ensure that nothing went wrong. He was effectively acting as back up on that trip,” Goodwin said.
The defence will say there is no single piece of evidence to conclusively prove the defendants’ guilt, but the prosecution said they will present a jigsaw of evidence to show their involvement.The defence will say there is no single piece of evidence to conclusively prove the defendants’ guilt, but the prosecution said they will present a jigsaw of evidence to show their involvement.
The case continues.The case continues.