Police officers of the French borders (PAF), who suspected trafficking of migrants in the bay of Marigot (French part of the island of Saint Martin), discovered during a control operation, with support of Customs and the gendarmerie, 52 illegal migrants, mostly of Haitian nationality (28 men, 17 women and 7 children), which were piled aboard a catamaran with a capacity of 12 people, which was anchored in the bay.

The three crew members, two Dutch, a man and a woman as well as a St. Lucian all 3 residents on the island, were arrested and confessed to participating in illegal activity of human trafficking for money. Accused of assistance to stay in organized gang and endangerment of others, they must appear this Friday, November 4 in immediate appearance in Basse-Terre for trial.

According to the testimony from illegal, gathered by the Deputy Prosecutor, the crew was to take them to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and some had to stay in St. Martin. The tour price varied between 1,000 and 7,000 US dollars per person... The illegal migrants were asked to leave French territory, but no eviction proceedings were launched noted the Deputy Prosecutor.

PI/ HaitiLibre