A gang ringleader convicted over the deaths of 39 Vietnamese men, women and children in a lorry in south Essex made at least £90,000 from people-smuggling, a court has been told.

Gheorghe Nica, 46, of Basildon, was jailed for 27 years for the manslaughter of the victims, who died in sweltering conditions as they were transported in an airtight container from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Purfleet on October 22 2019.

The deaths marked the end of a long-running and profitable operation in which migrants would pay up to £13,000 for what they thought was a “VIP service”.

Seven smuggling trips were identified between May 2018 and October 23 2019, although investigators believe there was probably more.

Migrants would board lorries at a remote location on the continent to be transported to Britain, where they would be picked up by a fleet of smaller vehicles organised by Nica for transfer to a safe house until payment was received.

Nica was one of five gang members jailed for the manslaughters, with others convicted of people-smuggling.

On Tuesday, he returned to the Old Bailey dock for a confiscation hearing before Judge Mark Lucraft KC.

A financial investigator identified at least £90,000 of Nica’s ill-gotten gains even though the defendant only admitted in his trial to receiving £5,000.

Unexplained cash deposits to Nica’s bank account from 2014 to 2019 totalled £24,430 and euros valued at £4,410.92 were seized upon his arrest in Frankfurt, Germany, in January 2020, the court was told.

Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay said there was a cash deposit of £7,000 for the purchase of a Range Rover Evoque in July 2018.

He also highlighted “hidden assets” of 70,000 euros relating to a loan on a property in Romania in the wake of the migrants’ deaths.

It was taken out in November 2019 and paid into Nica’s wife’s account while he was on the run.

Giving evidence on Tuesday, Nica disputed the figures, saying he had “struggled” financially and needed money to support his wife and three children, including a disabled daughter.

The former driver and mechanic accepted being involved in smuggling, having claimed in his trial he suspected it was goods and not people being transported from continental Europe.

But he disputed the trial judge’s assessment of his role as a leader, organiser and manager of the gang.

Mr Polnay said: “I suggest you have got money hidden away, Mr Nica.”

Nica said: “I wish.”

The prosecutor accused Nica of lying, as he had in his trial, saying: “I suggest you do have money – the proceeds of your crime.”

Nica’s ex-wife and bookkeeper Elena Adelina Nica told the court there was “nothing unusual” in cash payments in her husband’s business.

In November 2019, she was in Romania and had “no idea what was going on” in England, she said.

Mrs Nica denied being aware that her husband was involved in people-smuggling or that the 70,000-euro loan was to conceal his money.

She said it was not unusual to keep cash at home in Romania, but added: “I did not have a pile of money.”

She said: “I do not think it’s fair what is happening. If he was to have any money I’m telling you I would be abroad and I would not be here. I would pay therapy for my daughter if I had money to live on, if there were hidden assets.”

Asked if she was aware of the nature of her ex-husband’s crimes, she added: “I do not believe he was guilty of the manslaughter and I cannot accept it.”

Mrs Nica became emotional about the effect of the case on her family, saying: “With my kids, we feel like animals. We are not guilty of anything.”

Earlier, Nica said he worked in Dublin before coming to England in 2008 and worked driving and fixing lorries in the Basildon area.

In 2012, he was left needing surgery after being badly hurt in a lorry accident.

On his financial state by 2014, he said: “My wife was working as a dental nurse in Basildon and I looked after the kids and we had tenants in the house because we cannot afford the bills because I cannot work.”

He claimed some of the cash deposits were payments for fixing broken-down lorries and said he also made money from exporting car parts.

Defence barrister Rory Keene asked: “Is there anything unusual in accepting cash in the lorry trade?”

Nica said: “No, it’s not unusual. You have to understand the drivers in Europe always have euros so I have to go with them to change into sterling. It’s not an easy process.”

The defendant told the court he paid £10,000 for his mother’s treatment for pancreatic cancer and another £8,000 for her funeral.

Judge Lucraft adjourned the case and said he will deliver his ruling on November 24.

Previously, Nica’s partner in crime, haulage boss Ronan Hughes, from Armagh, Northern Ireland, was ordered to pay the victims’ families more than £180,000 after being jailed for 20 years.

Lorry driver Maurice Robinson, of Craigavon in Northern Ireland, who found the bodies in the back of his trailer and was jailed for 13 years and four months, had to sell his 4×4 vehicle and watch to pay more than £21,000.

Romanian Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga, from Tilbury, was ordered to pay £3,000 after being jailed for three years after admitting conspiring to assist unlawful immigration.

Another people-smuggler, Valentin Calota, from Birmingham, was ordered to pay more than £1,000.