The Department of Immigration has confirmed that 21 illegal migrants were intercepted in the North Sound area of Virgin Gorda on Thursday.
In a media statement, the department noted that the captured migrants hail from diverse nationalities, which include, Romanian, Haitian, Colombian, American, Irish, and Ecuadorian. It also informed that the migrants were swiftly transported by the marine arm of the Joint Task Force and are currently undergoing processing in preparation for detention and repatriation.
The department assured the public that measures are actively being pursued to enhance its capabilities to safeguard residents of the BVI.
“The security of our territory’s borders is paramount,” the department stated.
Mrs. Nadia Demming-Hodge, Acting Chief Immigration Officer, emphasized the importance of community involvement in such matters, urging anyone with pertinent information to reach out to the Department of Immigration at 468-4705 and 468-4754 or contact the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force Hotline at 311.
This interception brings the tally of illegal migrants who have been apprehended and reported by the authorities so far this year to 70.Previous instances include the discovery of 11 illegal immigrants by officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) at an abandoned building on Virgin Gorda on Thursday, February 29. Additionally, in a joint operation on Wednesday, February 14, authorities intercepted a vessel ferrying undocumented immigrants near Cooper Island.