8 Dec 2005

CNMI human smuggling operation seizes 14 Chinese

9:19 am on 8 December 2005

The United States Coast Guard has intercepted a boat off the Northern Mariana Islands with 14 Chinese nationals it believes were being smuggled into Guam.

The newspaper, the Saipan Tribune, reports the 21-footer boat was spotted 18 kilometres off Rota after CNMI immigration officials received a tip-off about human smuggling.

The 14 were escorted back to the seaport of Tanapag Harbor where Immigration agents placed them under arrest.

They were then brought to the Superior Court yesterday afternoon for deportation proceedings.

Bail of US$10,000 was placed on each of the accused.

The judge ordered the respondents to appear in court on December 15th.