"If they die ... drop them off in a forest in Germany," he was quoted as saying in released transcripts of intercepted mobile phone conversations. Lahoo pocketed between 1,000 euros ($1,100) and 1,500 euros per person, netting "at least 300,000 euros", according to the charge sheet. Up to 81 migrants were squashed into spaces measuring barely 17 square metres (180 square feet) according to investigators. A day after the death truck discovery, the gang is said to have loaded another 67 migrants into a refrigerated lorry and again driven to Austria. "This time the migrants managed to kick the door open, thus no one had died," according to prosecutors.

Source: Sunday Times June 14, 2018 16:30 UTC