17 Illegal Immigrants Give Officials the Slip

[Mask]

Thought you folks on the Celebrity board might be interested in the following article from the Halifax Herald (today's paper):

 

"Seventeen foreign nationals travelling on a cruise ship used bogus passports to slip by Canadian immigration officials in Halifax this month and board a train to Toronto.

It's the largest single incident of ship-jumping in Halifax so far this year, police said Tuesday.

Word of the illegal immigrants emerged when immigration officials said that four others from China - two women and two men who attempted to leave the Celebrity Cruises ship Constellation on Sept. 20 - were in jail.

One of the men, the English-speaking escort for the group, was charged with aiding and abetting illegal entry to Canada.

Immigration officials believe the man's name is Jin Sin Woun, although they noted in court documents he has attempted to use other identities in the past.

Immigration officials confirmed that the earlier group of 17 used fraudulent South Korean passports and managed to leave the cruise ship on Sept. 9 by either claiming they were seasick or saying they wanted to temporarily get off.

"They just said they were going off because they weren't feeling well," said RCMP spokesman Sgt. Phil Young.

"Instead of going back on, they hopped a train for Toronto."Police said they don't know the whereabouts of the group, other than that they were heading to the country's largest city.

Young noted it's quite common for poor young people from China seeking a better life in Canada to attempt to enter the country and claim refugee status, using forged passports.

The Korean passport is a common choice because South Koreans do not require a visa to enter the country, he said.

However, it's rare for such large numbers of illegal entrants to come to an East Coast port aboard a cruise ship, and the initial influx of 17 people appeared to catch officials off guard.

"We weren't aware, as we were for the later group of four, that they were using the passports as a method of gaining entry into Canada," Young said. "They were very good fraudulent documents."

He said the group that has travelled to Toronto doesn't pose a security or terrorist risk.

"These are Chinese individuals who are trying to find a better life in Canada."

All 21 were passengers aboard the ship and are believed to have started their journey in Le Havre, France.

Ship security examined the travel documents when the group boarded the cruise vessel and were also deceived.

Young said after the 17 boarded the train to Toronto, Canada Border Services Agency agents decided to check the passports of the four others when they attempted to leave the ship four days later.

"We knew a lot more by then than we did previously," said Young.

He said Canada Border Services and the RCMP will conduct a joint review of the incident and intend to increase their scrutiny of South Korean passports."

[RodPat]

I was on Constellation with this people. We did not take on that many passengers in LeHarve. We boarded in Dover, England on Sept. 10 not the 9th. It is very hard to get off in Dover England and get a train to anywhere in Canada. When we arrived in Halifax they did take four Asians off the ship in handcuffs. So that part of the story may be correct.

[canderson]

It is very hard to get off in Dover England and get a train to anywhere in Canada.

Just wait. Since Carnival has purchased the P&O lines (they're a big UK cross-channel ferry company as well), you never know what they might cook up!;)

[wv4891]

Hi Pat,

 

We thought it was just a drug bust, as several of our group mentioned the unmistakable smell of pot coming from certain areas on the ship. Oh well, I guess it was just one of the happy passengers brewing the "coffee" they purchased in Amsterdam. ;)

 

I was on Constellation with this people. We did not take on that many passengers in LeHarve. We boarded in Dover, England on Sept. 10 not the 9th. It is very hard to get off in Dover England and get a train to anywhere in Canada. When we arrived in Halifax they did take four Asians off the ship in handcuffs. So that part of the story may be correct.

[pamkev]

Pat,

have you got any more of my emails. I 've been trying to get you about Nov 5. It comes back some of the time. Pam

[pamkev]

Pat,

You've got mail!

[dkjretired]

but I wonder what effect if any the new on-line check in system might have played. Is this something Celebrity might look at.