Police to fishermen: Bring back fish, not illegal immigrants

POLICE are expressing concern over the discovery that fishermen are taking jobs to transport illegal immigrants and bring them into the country.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Jayson Forde warned fishermen not to bring illegal immigrants into the country, after one man was arrested for attempting to transport 32 illegal immigrants from Venezuela to TT.

On July 25 in the Western peninsula, a fisherman was stopped by Coast Guard officers while trying to transport the immigrants. He was detained and handed over to the police.

The Venezuelans were quarantined and eventually repatriated to Venezuela. The fisherman, from Las Cuevas, was charged for 32 counts of aiding and abetting in the illegal entry of immigrants.

He added that fishermen in the southern peninsula were also arrested for the same offence, and investigations into their matters are ongoing.

“The penalty for engaging in that activity, if you are found guilty, is $50,000 or three years hard labour,” Forde said.

“We want to beseech fishermen – from what we have been told, the fish are biting, you can go into the gulf, fish and sell your fish.”