Nineteen Colombians detained in The Bahamas

Immigration officials suspect the illegal immigrants were seeking to enter the United States via The Bahamas.

NASSAU, The Bahamas, Monday November 21, 2011 - Nineteen Colombians have been detained by authorities in Grand Bahama for illegal entry into the country.

The 13 males and six females were taken into custody early yesterday morning following a raid at a house by police and immigration officers, ZNS Network stated.
A 36-year-old Bahamian man was also detained.

This comes on the heels of last week’s arrest of around 11 Chinese immigrants - six women and five men – who pleaded guilty to illegal landing after they were hauled before the courts.

They were each fined and could spend up to 12 months in jail if they fail to make the payment.

“Once the fines would have been paid they will be transported to Nassau for deportation to their homeland. If the fines are not paid they will go to Fox Hill until their custodial sentence,” said Dwight Beneby, Assistant Director of the Department of Immigration, Grand Bahama.

“Most of the time they go from Beijing to Moscow, Moscow to Cuba, Cuba to Haiti and most times from Haiti to The Bahamas, by air, but this crew said they came from Haiti to Freeport directly by boat and that's unusual,” he added.

The immigration official said the number of people attempting to smuggle from Freeport into the US has been a challenge. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)