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Raids net 55 illegal workers
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Posted on Apr 27 2006
Authorities raided two establishments yesterday morning in As Lito and Chalan Kanoa where they arrested 55 alien workers for allegedly engaging in unlawful employment.
Agents from the Attorney General’s Investigative Unit, Immigration, and the Department of Public Safety simultaneously swooped down on Rifu Apparel Corp. in As Lito and R&B Corp.’s trimming plant in Chalan Kanoa.
The agents rounded up 54 Chinese nationals and one Korean. Except for two, all are women.
The 55 were brought before Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman for a bail hearing.
Wiseman imposed a $100 cash bail for each of the 50 respondents and $1,000 cash bail each on five others.
The judge set a $1,000 cash bail for the five respondents after the government informed the court that in addition to illegal employment, the five were allegedly found to be overstaying tourists.
Assistant attorney general Kevin Lynch told the court that authorities armed with a search warrant raided the two establishments after learning that some employees were unlawfully employed there.
Lynch said the arrested persons were found working without lawful documentation from Labor and Immigration. He said the government is filing deportation cases against them.
Wiseman explained this to the respondents. He set a hearing for May 25 at 1:30pm.
The judge directed those who could not afford to post bail and provide passports to return to court today at 3:30pm.
There were no lawyers representing the respondents yesterday. At least 12 Corrections officers were present in court. Seven court staff members processed the workers’ papers, while two Chinese interpreters also assisted in the proceedings.
After the hearing, at least 15 of the workers were taken into two vans on their way to the Department of Corrections. The rest of the workers, escorted by Corrections officers, walked toward the detention facility in Susupe.
