British police found 39 bodies in a truck container in the British city of Grays near London on Wednesday night. The truck driver, a 25-year-old man from Northern Ireland, was arrested by police on suspicion of murder.
A house search has now been carried out by police at two addresses in Northern Ireland, reports the BBC.
"Long investigation"
According to police, truck containers have come from Zeebrugge in Belgium, via a ferry, and then driven into the port of Purfleet in eastern England. The truck should then have been parked at the site where it was then found at 12.30, local time. Police use images from surveillance cameras to determine the truck's path.
The police have begun work on identifying the dead, but state that it may take time. According to information, it should be 38 adults and one boy in their teens.
- This is a complete tragedy. We will work with other authorities to find out what is behind these deaths. We are at an early stage in what is likely to be a lengthy investigation, says Pippa Mills, of the Essex Police, during a press conference.
NCA connected
The British National Crime Agency (NCA), which handles organized crime such as human trafficking, has been linked to the investigation. It reports The Guardian.