‘Global Ring’ Involved in Smuggling 39 Found Dead in UK Truck, Court Told

An aerial view as police forensic officers attend the scene after a truck was found to contain a large number of dead bodies in Thurrock, South England, on early Oct. 23, 2019. UK Pool via AP

CHELMSFORD, England—A court heard on Oct. 28 that a global ring had been involved in smuggling the 39 people whose bodies were found in a truck near London, as the driver faced charges of manslaughter and people-trafficking.

The discovery of the bodies last week in a refrigerated truck on an industrial estate near London has shone a spotlight on the illicit trade that sends the poor of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East on perilous journeys to the West.