Irishmen charged with people-smuggling conspiracy

TWO Irishmen have been charged with conspiracy to facilitate illegal immigration after 10 migrants were found in a lorry in Belgium last Thursday.

Wayne Sherlock (39) and Eoin Nowlan (48), from Dover in the UK, appeared at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court yesterday and were remanded in custody.

Four men were arrested as part of a UK National Crime Agency investigation into a crime group suspected of transporting migrants into the UK in the back of lorries.

As well as Mr Sherlock and Mr Nowlan, the lorry driver (64) and a man (30) in Co Antrim were arrested last

Friday. The lorry driver has been remanded in custody and the man from Co Antrim has been released on bail.

Last Thursday, two adults and eight children from southeast Asia were found in the back of a lorry carrying tyres near Ghent in Belgium.

The driver was arrested and the following day the two Irishmen and a man from Co

Antrim were also arrested and held in custody.

Properties in Northern Ireland and Kent were also searched and two suspected firearms were seized in Kent.

“Our close working with our Belgian partners in this instance has led to the safeguarding of a number of migrants who had been put in a very dangerous situation, and we are grateful for their “This kind of human smugsupport,” said Gerry McLean, gling is very dangerous, and UK National Crime Agency the operation proves once regional head of investigation. more that international cooperation

“We have seen only recently works in the fight in Essex the tragic consequences against this type of organised which these types of crime,” he said. attempts can have.” “In the fight against human

West Flanders prosecutor smuggling, the UK is obviously Frank Demeester said human an important partner trafficking using lorries was as being the country of destination.” “very dangerous”.