South China Morning Post cited police sources as saying that Lam Hei-kit, 29, was a key figure in the smuggling ring which arranged for the ill-fated immigrants to be ferried into the southern British port of Dover.

Customs officers made the grim discovery when they opened the lorry following its five-hour crossing from the Netherlands. Only two people survived.

Passing sentence, Judge Tong Man said Lam's "role was by no means minor."

He said the international immigrant smuggling operation was sizeable by any stretch of the imagination and could not have proceeded without Lam's efforts.

Judge Tong said evidence indicated that Lam's brother, who is still at large, was the "prime mover" in the Snakehead syndicate.

Lam was found guilty of money laundering and possessing unlawfully obtained passports and sentenced to four years imprisonment.

The illicit money trail was uncovered through the combined efforts of law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong, Australia and Britain. Investigations revealed a US$500 million money-laundering racket operating out of Hong Kong.

(China Daily February 10, 2003)