Seven Jamaicans Caught in Human Smuggling Venture

The United States Coast Guard law enforcement team in Miami nabbed several Caribbean nationals in what they thought was a human smuggling venture not far from the south coast of Florida.

The Coast Guard officials reported that, the suspects were seven Jamaicans, two Bahamians, two Haitians and four people from the Dominican Republic. They were nabbed when they were sailing in a 29-foot vessel approximately five miles away from West Palm Beach, Florida.

Some persons who were on the vessels were brought ashore for further investigation to see if they were potential criminals to be charged by Homeland Security Investigations before the passengers that remained were sent back to the Bahamas, the Coast Guard revealed.

US Coast Guard reported that a CBP AMO aircraft had notified the Coast Guard Station in Miami Watchstanders about the smuggling vessel that was suspected at about 12:20 am.

Wednesday’s case shows the great work that is being done every day by both Air, Marine and the DHS partners, The Executive Director of the AMO Southeast Region believes the integrated operations, will get the job done and protect the homeland.

On October 1, 2020, the US Coast Guard said crews interdicted 194 Dominican Republicans, 78 Bahamians, 182 Haitians, 8 Jamaicans compared to fiscal year 2020, October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020, the crews that were interdicted included 4 Jamaicans, 194 Bahamians, 418 Haitians and 1,117 Dominican Republicans.