By Morgan Adderley
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
NEARLY 90 Haitian migrants were arrested by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) early Wednesday morning, according to an RBDF statement.
The RBDF vessel HMBS Cascarilla, led by Lieutenant Commander Clinton Johnson, intercepted the sloop with 89 passengers.
The United States Coast Guard provided assistance to the RBDF, as that a fixed wing aircraft operation of the organisation out of Miami was “helpful in locating the sloop”.
The sloop was found approximately 16 nautical miles southwest of Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera.
“These latest migrants will be processed for repatriation to Haiti after they are handed over to Immigration authorities in Eleuthera,” the press release added.
The RBDF has apprehended 281 migrants for the year, according to their records.
These include the arrests of 69 Haitian migrants off Long Island in January and the apprehension of 188 migrants off southern Inagua in March.
“The Defence Force has increased its monitoring and patrolling efforts in the Southern Bahamas, which is considered a gateway for much of the illegal activity that takes place within our borders,” the RBDF said.
“Migrants are using a variety of means to transit our waters, including traditional sailing sloops, smaller conventional sailing yachts, and motorized go fasts with collapsible sails.”
The RBDF also told The Tribune on Friday that an additional two migrants are currently being investigated in Eleuthera.
“(One migrant is) supposed to be charged for harbouring another migrant, but we’re still working on that,” The Tribune was told.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 7 months ago
The Tribune persists in failing to refer to them as illegal aliens!
TheMadHatter 6 years, 7 months ago
Will they be fingerprinted? Of course not. Those amoung this 89 who have been deported before will simply be deported again with no jail time.
We need a new law so that the full names and dates of birth of these bastards have to be printed in the newspapers so we can check for repeats.
As i've said before. Lower the flag to half mast - this country is done. I don't know why the US even keeps an embassy here. Canada and Britain had enough sense to leave.
DDK 6 years, 7 months ago
"Will they be fingerprinted? Of course not." Ingrained slackness. At least arrests and deportations are up, but how costly to The Bahamas if the illegals are not fined?
hrysippus 6 years, 7 months ago
They were all born illegitimately? I must have missed that, and by the by, Madhater, were your parents married at the time of your birth?
John 6 years, 7 months ago
In the main time Trumps’ plan to protect its Southern boarder with Mexico with the military until his Wall is built may spell trouble for the Bahamas. Since these guards will include aircraft fly over and other interceptions, this may force the drug trafficking back through the Bahamas. This country cannot afford the crime, lawlessness and break down in society this activity brought in the 1980’s and early 1990’s
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