Bahamas Police, Defence Force officers and Immigration officials are hiding the identity of Bahamians who are responsible for the human-trafficking operation that was discovered in Grand Bahama last weekend.
14 immigrants were found floating adrift after being left to die by their Bahamian smugglers when the boat broke down.
Five Haitians, five Brazilians, three Sri Lankans and one Chilean were rescued by Defence Force officers after one of the immigrants, who fortunately had a cellphone, called police to report they were drifting at sea.
Thankfully, all the immigrants were found to be in good health.
If that one person did not have a cellphone, the immigrants would most likely have died at sea. It is common practice for Bahamians smugglers to abandon their human cargo and leave them to die at the first sign of trouble.
Bahamians familiar with the situation say they are concerned that, while the immigrants will be charged and made to pay the consequences of their actions, the Bahamian smugglers will get off scot-free.
That is what happened in the past, when the same boat, operated by the same Bahamian human-smugglers was caught before. The boat was impounded but later released and the owners of the boat and people involved in the smuggling operation were never prosecuted.
It is believed that prominent Bahamian business persons from Abaco and Grand Bahama, corrupt Defence Force officers and even a politician are involved in the operation and have made millions smuggling people from the Bahamas to the United States.
The articles below, just a few of the many that pertain to this subject that can be found in the Bahamas News Archive on BahamasB2B.com, will show that this has been an ongoing problem for almost seven years and the same people are involved over and over again. Yet, because of the influential people involved, the Bahamas government seemingly refuses to put an end to this despicable practice.
2011-07-12
Cruise Ship Rescues Six From Sunken Boat in Bahamas
2011-07-06
Top Officials Involved in Smuggling Ring?
2008-05-19
Bahamian Human Smugglers on ‘America’s Most Wanted’
2007-06-27
Black Bahamians Taking Over The Human Smuggling Business
2006-09-18
Abaco Men Busted in US for Human Smuggling
2006-08-28
Human Smuggling: Big Business In The Bahamas
2006-07-25
Abaco Human Smuggling Ring
2006-07-13
Bahamians Involved in Human Smuggling
