A Canadian, American or British passport can cost up to US$10 000.By Karin Dear
(October,21,Toronto, Sri Lanka Guardian) More than 100 people travelling with fraudulent documents have been identified, deported or jailed in recent months due to an intensely integrated approach by regional law enforcement agencies.
"We are talking about well over 100 persons, men and women, who were identified with fraudulent documents and who were stopped by immigration/customs officers at points of entry as a result of improved communication between regional security forces," said Jamaican-based Jeff Johnston, senior liaison officer for the region, and representing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Those identified included three people believed to be associated with the Sri Lankan-based Liberation Tamil Tigers of Elam (LTTE), recognised as a terrorist group and who, said Johnston, were trying to make their way to Canada to raise funds for arms purchases.
"In some instances if the individual was also carrying drugs, arrests were made and some of these persons have already been brought before the courts, pleaded guilty to charges and are now serving time in prison," he told the Sunday Sun in an exclusive telephone interview yesterday.
Johnston said these people were serving time in various islands, including Jamaica and Barbados.
In the majority of cases, the people were deported at port of entry.
"Among those travelling with these documents, which included Canadian, British and American passports, were people from Russia, China, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and from within the Caribbean region," he disclosed.
Concerns among security agencies have heightened as a result of identifying a highly sophisticated fraudulent documentation ring operating out of Guyana.
"Not only are they producing fraudulent regional passports, but also Canadian, American and British documents," he said.
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HIGH PRICE TO PAY:
People who are smuggled into a particular country are individuals who have the means to pay for their fraudulent documents and travelling costs, which can be very expensive especially if they are coming from as far away as China. A Canadian, American or British passport can cost up to US$10 000.
A trafficked person is someone who wants desperately to leave their country of birth, but does not have the funds to pay for fraudulent documents or travel expenses, and ends up carrying drugs to work off their debt or are in prostitution rings.
Source: Jeff Johnston, senior liaison officer for the region, and representing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
(October,21,Toronto, Sri Lanka Guardian) More than 100 people travelling with fraudulent documents have been identified, deported or jailed in recent months due to an intensely integrated approach by regional law enforcement agencies.
"We are talking about well over 100 persons, men and women, who were identified with fraudulent documents and who were stopped by immigration/customs officers at points of entry as a result of improved communication between regional security forces," said Jamaican-based Jeff Johnston, senior liaison officer for the region, and representing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Those identified included three people believed to be associated with the Sri Lankan-based Liberation Tamil Tigers of Elam (LTTE), recognised as a terrorist group and who, said Johnston, were trying to make their way to Canada to raise funds for arms purchases.
"In some instances if the individual was also carrying drugs, arrests were made and some of these persons have already been brought before the courts, pleaded guilty to charges and are now serving time in prison," he told the Sunday Sun in an exclusive telephone interview yesterday.
Johnston said these people were serving time in various islands, including Jamaica and Barbados.
In the majority of cases, the people were deported at port of entry.
"Among those travelling with these documents, which included Canadian, British and American passports, were people from Russia, China, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and from within the Caribbean region," he disclosed.
Concerns among security agencies have heightened as a result of identifying a highly sophisticated fraudulent documentation ring operating out of Guyana.
"Not only are they producing fraudulent regional passports, but also Canadian, American and British documents," he said.
****
HIGH PRICE TO PAY:
People who are smuggled into a particular country are individuals who have the means to pay for their fraudulent documents and travelling costs, which can be very expensive especially if they are coming from as far away as China. A Canadian, American or British passport can cost up to US$10 000.
A trafficked person is someone who wants desperately to leave their country of birth, but does not have the funds to pay for fraudulent documents or travel expenses, and ends up carrying drugs to work off their debt or are in prostitution rings.
Source: Jeff Johnston, senior liaison officer for the region, and representing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
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