Immigrants sent back to ship

The ten arrived in Trinidad on the ship “Filip One” and were reportedly hired to offload a container with packets of Chinese soup. Officers from the Inter-Agency Task Force who were on patrol grew suspicious on seeing the ten standing around a container. Officers tried to question the men but could not do so since none of the ten could speak English. The Immigration Department was contacted and Cpl Jenny Morrain and Immigration Officer Narinesingh Lall responded. The officers detained the suspects and found out that six of them are from Vietnam while the rest are from China.

The detainees revealed that they were assisted by a local businessman who offered them employment and a chance to live and work in Trinidad. Immigration officers confirmed that based on the information received they took the persons back to their ship and instructions were given that the captain ensure that they leave Trinidad or face charges. Immigration sources told Newsday, within recent times several Chinese and Vietnamese nationals were turning up at construction sites around Port-of-Spain seeking work as labourers.