A CONVICTED cigarette smuggler from Co Armagh and his brother are wanted on suspicion of manslaughter and human trafficking over the deaths of 39 people in Essex last week.
Ronan Hughes (40), who also goes by the name Rowan, and his brother Christopher (34) are being sought after the bodies of 31 men and eight women were discovered in a refrigerated lorry container in an industrial estate on Wednesday October 23.
Police in Essex said the brothers are from Armagh.
It is understood both may have left the country. However, Essex Police said they believe the brothers are in Northern Ireland.
Ronan Hughes previously had an address in Clongowan, Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh.
He was living at that address when he was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent in October 2009 for smuggling almost six million cigarettes into the UK.
He is believed to have been behind a dissolved haulage company - C Hughes Transport Ltd - which had an address in Tyholland, Co Monaghan.
The 40-year-old, who is thought to live in Co Monaghan, is believed to have leased the lorry container in which 39 migrants died.
Unconfirmed reports suggest he also owns the blue Scania lorry tractor used to transport the container from the Belgian port of Zeebrugge to Purfleet in Essex last week.
A spokeswoman for the PSNI said its officers are assisting Essex Police in their investigation.
Detective Chief Superintendent Stuart Hooper, who is leading the investigation, said: "Finding and speaking to the Hughes brothers is crucial to our investigation."
"At this time we believe they are in Northern Ireland but they also have links to the Irish Republic," he said.
"If you know where they are or have any information about their whereabouts I need you to call my team.
"This is a case where 39 men and women have tragically died and support from the community is going to be vital to help bring those responsible to justice.
"You may think the piece of information might be insignificant but even the smallest detail could be vital so please contact my officers on 101 or online at: the UK Police Major Incident Public Reporting site
"I appreciate you may not want to speak to the police so you can also contact Crimestoppers 100 per cent anonymously on 0800 555 111."
The 39 dead were found in a refrigerated trailer attached to a lorry in an industrial park in Grays, Essex, in the early hours of October 23.
Maurice Robinson (25) of Laurel Drive, Laurelvale, near Portadown, Co Armagh appeared in court on Monday charged with 39 counts of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people, conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and money laundering.
He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on November 25.
Four people with potential links to the case have been arrested.
Irish couple Joanna and Thomas Maher, now living in Warrington in England, were arrested last week but were later released on bail until November 11.
Mrs Maher was named as the owner of the Scania truck, registered in the Bulgarian port of Varna in 2018, which was used to transport the container from the port of Purfleet to Waterglade Industrial Park in Essex in the early hours of last Wednesday.
But the couple said they sold the cab a year ago to a company in the Republic.
A 46-year-old man from Northern Ireland, who has not been named, was arrested at Stansted Airport on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic people and suspicion of manslaughter on Friday night.
He was released on bail until November 13.
The following day, 23-year-old lorry driver Eamon Harrison, from Mayobridge, Co Down, was arrested at Dublin Port.
Essex Police initially believed the 39 were all Chinese nationals. However, at least some of the victims appear to be from Vietnam.
It is believed they may have been travelling on fake Chinese passports provided by people traffickers.
:: Update: Since publication of this article, Essex Police has said no further action will be taken against Christopher Hughes, who denies any connection to the offences. A spokesman said he was "raised as a suspect early in the investigation, based on evidence and information that we had", and was "later subject of a voluntary interview within the Republic of Ireland, and that was intentionally because of legal difficulties in speaking to him elsewhere. No further action will be taken against him." His brother Ronan Hughes (41) was jailed in January 2021 for the manslaughter of the 39 Vitnamese migrants along with Gheorghe Nica (43) of Basildon, Essex, Eamon Harrison (24) of Newry, Co Down and Maurice Robinson (26) of Craigavon, Co Armagh.
