We safeguard the lives of 131 irregular migrants in San Andrés
During last week, Maritime units of the Colombian Navy attached to the Specific Command of San Andrés y Providencia safeguarded the lives of 131 migrants, who intended to be transported irregularly aboard illegal ships, from San Andrés bound for Central America.
The irregular transit of the migrants was detected thanks to the permanent operations carried out through the System of Traffic Control and Maritime Surveillance that, when identifying the boats, conducted the coordination with the Rapid Reaction Units of the Coast Guard Station of San Andrés that led to the interception of the boats, preventing the illicit trafficking of 131 migrants among whom were people from Venezuela, Cuba, Peru and Ecuador, as well as 27 minors.
These people went to sea on boats that use unauthorized routes, to try to evade the operations carried out by the Units of the Colombian Navy, since they do not comply with the minimum safety conditions, nor with the current maritime regulations, putting their lives at risk.
Therefore, 14 people were arrested for the crime of human trafficking, being put into custody of the Attorney General's Office. For their part, the recovered migrants were put into custody of Migración Colombia, the Office of Control, Circulation and Residence –OCCRE - and the Colombian Institute of Family Wellbeing –ICBF of San Andrés.
The Colombian Navy, through the Specific Command of San Andrés y Providencia, will continue to increase operational efforts together with its attached components of the Colombian National Army and Air Force, in coordination with the National Police, to accompany the corresponding immigration authorities in order to continue carrying out preventive operations in different points of the San Andres island, to counter the irregular transit by the insular region and safeguard life at sea.
Source: Press - Navy of Colombia
