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Terry Milewski reports for CBC TV.

Laura Lynch reports for CBC radio
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Ship jammed with illegal immigrants set sail from China
WebPosted Wed Jul 21 21:45:02 1999

GOLD RIVER, B.C. - Canadian authorities say they have identified 11 passsengers they believe may be behind one of the biggest human smuggling operations ever discovered off the West Coast.


"We're keeping them as separate from the others as possible," said Jim Redmond, a spokesman for the department of Citizenship and Immigration.

On Tuesday, a boat jammed with 122 Chinese trying to sneak into Canada was found off the coast of Vancouver Island.

The 104 men and 18 women spent 39 days at sea crammed into the filthy hold of a 36-metre ship. They are now being held at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, just outside Victoria.

When they arrived at the base some of the people had changed into their best clothes. They clapped and waved as they were led away. But not one of the Chinese has any documentation. Officials say it is an old trick for people trying to enter the country illegally.

So far Canadian officials say they do not know who organized this smuggling operation, but it has all the hallmarks of organized crime. And little by little, some of the details are emerging.

"The ship left ... from Fuzhou (China)," said George Varnai, regional director for the department of Citizenship and Immigration. "Our current assumption is they were trying to unload somewhere on the coast."

The area where the ship, which had no identifiable markings, was found is one of the remoter areas of coastline on Vancouver Island, about 300 kilometres northwest of Victoria.

Language problems are hampering efforts of investigators to question the passengers. Authorities have quickly turned an area of CFB Esquimalt into a temporary shelter. Cots have been moved into a large gymnasium. A two-metre high fence has also been erected.

No major illnesses or injuries were reported among the passengers.

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