NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell yesterday revealed that the Immigration Department conducted operations last month to infiltrate a number of ‘escort services’.
Bell told Parliament one operation resulted in the conviction and deportation of four Jamaican women.
He provided an update yesterday on the processing and repatriation of irregular migrants to The Bahamas and outlined some of the actions taken by the Government and its agencies since he warned on January 18 that any undocumented migrant will be taken into custody.
“On January 19th the Immigration Enforcement Unit conducted operations to infiltrate a number of ‘escort services’. It is well known that these escort services consist of persons who enter the Country as a visitor and also overstay the time granted by immigration to remain in the country,” said Bell.
He added: “In one operation, an escort service known as “the Mango Season Girls” was dismantled. Four Jamaican females were taken into custody in that sting operation. They were charged and placed before the court, convicted, sentenced, deported, and placed on the restricted list.”
Bell noted that on January 20th, 2023, a joint operation by Immigration and the police in the eastern area netted a number of irregular migrants one of whom was found in possession of a fraudulent work permit.
Bell also referenced several recent migrant apprehensions including an incident on January 30th when Immigration Officials were notified of a suspected smuggling vessel sinking in the vicinity of Grand Bahama. In that incident, 19 individuals were taken into custody including 11 Haitian nationals, two Ecuadorians, and two Chinese nationals. Four Bahamian men suspected of being the organizers were arrested and are expected to be placed before the Courts along with this group once the investigations are concluded.
On Tuesday, three repatriation exercises were undertaken by the Immigration Department totaling 251 people including 31 Cuban nationals and 220 Haitian nationals.
