By Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterTHE LOCAL police and British High Commission officials say they believe an organised ring to smuggle Peruvians to England through Jamaica has been smashed.
On Monday, the police arrested six Peruvians who arrived in the island on Peruvians passports, but were caught trying to leave for Britain on Chilean passports.
They are Johnni Jose Delmateo, a 22-year-old student; Raoul Ernesto Gonzales Murrieta, 35; Edith Evelyn Bocanegra Rodriquez, 25; Angelica Rosario Rodriquez Nolasco, 22; 24-year-old Kleber Roger Del-Carmen Santos and Pedro Ronald Saravia-Martinez.
All six appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court at Half-Way Tree on Monday, where they pleaded guilty to uttering forged documents. They were each fined $5,000 or 30 days imprisonment. Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle also ordered them deported.
ADMITTED
"They admitted they were from Peru but they destroyed their passports here," said Corporal Courtney Dale, who is attached to the Immigration department. He told The Gleaner the Peruvians admitted paying substantial sums in Peru for Chilean passports.
Police reports are that about 2:30 p.m. on Monday, the six Peruvians checked in at the British Airways counter at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston. Airline officials however became suspicious and called the police, who questioned the suspects. They later admitted they were Peruvians.
"It is suspected there is a smuggling ring," Corporal Dale said. "A lot of them have gone through (Jamaica) before, so they (airline officials) were looking out for Peruvians travelling on Chilean passports to England."
This theory was supported by the British High Commission. A source there yesterday noted that there appears to be "an organised smuggling ring" involving the Peruvians.
Meanwhile, Mark Waller, press and public affairs officer at the British High Commission, said yesterday that only one Peruvian had applied to the High Commission for a British visa since January.
He said the High Commission was concerned about the number of Peruvians trying to enter Britain on fraudulent travel documents. Mr. Waller told The Gleaner that his office was working closely with local immigration officials to halt the trend.
