The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THREE Bahamian men are in the custody of United States authorities after they were alledgedly caught attempting to smuggle six Haitians to Florida last week.

Three of the six Haitians were also taken with the Bahamians, while the other three were returned to the Bahamas by the US Coast Guard and handed over to Bahamas immigration authorities in Grand Bahama on Saturday, December 3.

Local immigration officer Napthali Cooper reported that the Bahamians and Haitians, along with the vessel, were retained for further investigations in connection with charges of illegal human smuggling in the United States.

According to Mr Cooper, the USCG intercepted a go-fast boat, with nine males, about five miles off Florida.

He said reports are that the vessel left Cat Cay sometime on Thursday, and was spotted near Florida.

The Haitians told Bahamian authorities that they were five minutes away from Florida when the vessel ran out of fuel. They also claimed to have each paid the three Bahamian operators $3,000 for the trip to Florida.

Two of the Haitians admitted to arriving illegally in the Bahamas by boat from Haiti a year ago and remained in the country without seeking legal status. The third, who is in his teens, claimed to have entered the country at age five with his parents, and was currently enrolled at a government high school in New Providence.

The men were processed at the Department of Immigration in Freeport, and were flown early this week to New Providence, where they are being detained at the Detention Centre.