PERU: Peruvian authorities transfer to Lima 71 Chinese passengers caught on a fishing boat trying to smuggle into the U.S.

Record ID: 602495

  • Title: PERU: Peruvian authorities transfer to Lima 71 Chinese passengers caught on a fishing boat trying to smuggle into the U.S.
  • Date: 20th January 2007
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIOMEDES DIAZ HORNA, POLICE GENERAL AND MIGRATION CHIEF, SAYING: "One hundred and twenty Chinese people have arrived illegally in the country. These Chinese people disembarked in Callao and were destined to the U.S. This is a new modality that the human traffickers are using." HORNA SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIOMEDES DIAZ HORNA, POLICE GENERAL AND MIGRATION CHIEF, SAYING: "Two Chinese people and a Peruvian jumped into the sea trying to elude captivity. Today, we found out that one died."
  • Embargoed: 4th February 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Peru
  • Country: Peru
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9ZZ6SO6YY6G57S7BGH8BIP81A
  • Story Text: Peruvian authorities transfer to the capital city Lima 71 Chinese passengers caught on a fishing boat trying to smuggle into the U.S.

    Peruvian police transferred on Friday (January 19) 71 Chinese migrants caught on a fishing boat in northern Peru, trying to smuggle into the U.S.
    The undocumented migrants were taken to the capital Lima for police identification and deportation.
    The migrants were captured on Thursday (January 18) night aboard the Korean 'Pong Won' fishing boat which Peruvian authorities say may be run by the 'Red Dragon' organized crime group that traffics humans.
    According to officials, 120 people were originally aboard the ship which stopped in the Peruvian port on its way to Guatemala and, eventually, the U.S.
    But the ship had mechanical problems and released 60 passengers in Callao, Peru before getting stuck on the Talara Sea, 1050 km north of Lima and 2,000 metres from the coast.
    As Peruvian authorities detained the passengers , several jumped into the water to evade authorities and one Chinese migrant drowned.
    Police are still searching for the first group of passengers who were released in Puerto Pizarro and say they have already captured 13 of them.
    Peruvian officials have expressed concern over the increase in illegal migration into the country and have proposed in a new law increasing sanctions for human trafficking.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register