38 more Venezuelans deported home

Another group of Venezuelans who sneaked into Trinidad and Tobago illegally have been returned to their homeland.

A statement from the Ministry of National Security on Saturday said a group of 38 people were deported on Friday after they were transported by the Coast Guard to the maritime border of Venezuela where they were picked up by the Guardia Nacional.

The deportation follows a similar exercise earlier that where 35 people who were intercepted by the Coast Guard last week were sent back home. During the interception, Coast Guard said they had to fire at the boat's engine to disable the pirogue and accidentally killed a one-year-old baby and injured his mother. That matter is still under investigation.

In the latest deportation exercise, the ministry did not say when the 38 people arrived in this country, only saying they arrived "over a period of time."

The deportation exercise was a joint effort between the Embassy of Venezuela and local authorities and all of people were screened to ensure they were not victims of human trafficking, the release said.