50 foreign nationals held in police operations

Nov 14, 2020 News

Some of the immigrants entering the courtyard.

Kaieteur News – A total of 50 foreign nationals were found during three cordon and search operations that were carried out by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), in Georgetown and Linden.
According to a press release, 26 Haitians were discovered between November 7 and November 8, 2020, at a city hotel and in a mini-bus en route to Linden – Mabura Road, and 24 female foreign nationals were discovered on October 24 at a city nightclub.
The report revealed that, out of the 24 Haitians that were discovered, there are ten males, nine females, two boys and five girls. The GPF has launched an investigation, and the Haitians are being investigated as being involved in a suspected Human Smuggling or Trafficking in Persons circle.
Up to press time, the police have arrested five persons who are in custody assisting with investigations. Meanwhile, the Haitians are currently in protective care pending the outcome of the investigation. Prior to that discovery, the police had conducted a cordon and search operation at Baroombar International, a popular nightclub in Georgetown and fifteen Venezuelans, eight Dominicans and one Cuban were discovered .

An investigation was launched into the alleged Trafficking in Persons circle and it revealed that the Dominicans and Cuban overstayed their time in Guyana. However, the foreign nationals were interviewed and later released on bail and told to return to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters.

According to the police, a bartender, a security guard and a dispatcher, were arrested, interviewed and later released on bail and also told to return to CID.

Earlier this year, Kaieteur News had reported that in less than two months, 78 foreign nationals appeared before a city magistrate to answer to immigration charges.

The immigrants were charged for entering Guyana illegally, overstaying and exiting the country without presenting themselves to an immigration officer. Those charged were Haitians, Cubans, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans.

They all made their court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court between January 13, 2020 and February 26, 2020. For that period 51 Haitians, 20 Cubans, 4 Sri Lankans and 3 Bangladeshis appeared before a Magistrate.

In most cases, the defendants charged for illegal exit, were caught accessing the Takatu Bridge, located in Lethem, away from the legal checkpoint. In their explanations they said that they were unaware that they must stamp out of Guyana before leaving to visit Brazil.

Those charged for illegal entry were caught en route to Lethem; from there the immigrants were escorted to Georgetown and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department, Headquarters, Eve Leary.

It was also reported that Guyana has retained its Tier 1 ranking for the fourth consecutive year according to the latest Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report of the United States Department of State, which was released in June 2020.

Reports of Human Trafficking can be made to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Protection at their 24 hour hotline numbers: 227–4083 or 623-5030; via Facebook or countertraffickinginpersons@gmail.com.

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