BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 10 men and four women who illegally entered the Federation and are believed to be hiding in either St. Kitts or Nevis.
Eleven of the illegal immigrants are said to be Haitians and the others are nationals of the Dominican Republic.
A police communiqué gave the Haitians names as Bein Amier Jaclin, Cleruens Juean, Challes Billy, Djolie Joseph, Jakob Orlando, Katia Pierre, Marise Pierre, Maxime Celestin, Saint Ville Diaise, Stephanie Pierre and Vidal Simon; and those from the Dominican Republic as Williams Felix, Mora Ando and Feliz Feliz.
The 14 individuals, along with two others from Haiti, had arrived in the Federation on Thursday (Jan. 14) aboard the MV Miss Over which was captained by Wensley George with crew member Caleb Jarvis, both of whom are nationals of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
Information, which had reached this publication last week, indicated that a blue, white and red vessel was seen just off the shores in Newtown from which four persons had disembarked and went ashore.
The incident was reported at the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force’s Coast Guard Base via telephone and personnel from that entity were immediately dispatched to investigate the report.
It is said that they patrolled along the shoreline as far as Irishtown but the vessel was not seen. However, after returning to Base Camp empty-handed, another investigating team was dispatched aboard the CGV Hermitage and the vessel was eventually located in the Caribbean Sea in the vicinity of SOL EC Ltd. on the Bay Road, but no one was aboard.
SKNVibes was reliably informed that members of the Royal St. Christopher Police Force had apprehended the captain of the vessel and his crew member.
The vessel was boarded by members of the Police Force, Immigration and the Coast Guard and a thorough search was conducted but nothing illegal was found.
The 37-foot long vessel was subsequently towed to the Coast Guard Base, where it was secured by anchor pending further investigations.
The two men, George and Jarvis, were taken to the Headquarters of the Customs and Excise Department, where they were questioned by personnel from that entity along with members of the other three security services.
Two Haitians, Francess Pyton and Edma Toto, were also apprehended and are currently in police custody.
According to the communiqué, George was slapped with two charges – “Knowingly assisting Francess Pyton who has not being permitted to enter the Federation, and Knowingly assisting Edma Toto who has not being permitted to enter the Federation’.
He was fined EC$2,000 on each charge, which had to be paid forthwith, and ordered to remain in police custody pending deportation. Charges were not preferred against Jarvis.
This publication learnt that Wensley had informed investigators that the illegal immigrants had boarded the vessel Ain Haiti.
It was also learnt that the vessel was not destined for the Federation and is believed to have been heading to either St. Thomas or Tortola. However, while on the high seas, the vessel encountered engine problems and the captain manoeuvred it into the shores of St. Kitts.
The communiqué also informed that officers the Immigration Department are investigating the incident and that the illegal immigrants might not be fluent in English and would speak French Creole or Spanish.
The police are requesting that “anyone who may have seen these individuals are asked to contact the Immigration Department at 465-8470 or any police station. Residents may also provide information on this or any other criminal activity by calling Crime Stoppers, the anonymous hotline at 1- 800-847 (TIPS)”.
