PHOTO: 2 Bangladeshi nabbed for human smuggling

• Posted on April 2, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons Unit (AHSTIP) of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has arrested eight Bangladesh nationals at Kasoa in the Central Region for allegedly smuggling migrants into the country.

Head of Public Affairs at GIS, Asst. Comptroller of Immigration (ACOI) Francis Palmdeti told The Finder that the arrest was effected on Friday, March 21, 2013 upon a tip-off.

He said investigations conducted by the Unit revealed that two out of the eight arrested were behind the smuggling syndicate.

He named Abu Naser and Mohammed Yousuf Khondakar, with passport numbers AC0514757 and AE8013343 respectively, as those behind the smuggling syndicate.

He said the six other suspects who have overstayed their Visitors’ Visas for several months are between the ages of 21 and 31 years.

They are Akbar Ali, Harun Mohammed, Mola Nasan, Mohammed Hossan Deluar, Faruk MD Omar Gazi and Hossan Monir.

ACOI Palmdeti said the six were lured into the country by the alleged smugglers who promised to send them to South Africa.

He stated that each of the six paid an amount of US$10,000 to the two smugglers.

He explained that Yousuf Khondakar, one of the smugglers, has overstayed his Visitors’ Visas for over 10 months while the Visitors’ Visa of his accomplice would expire on Saturday, April 5, 2014.

ACOI Palmdeti said the six Bangladesh nationals being smuggled have been in the country for between two and seven months waiting for the two smugglers to secure them South African visas.

He warned that the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) would not countenance the use of Ghana as a haven for human smuggling activities.

“Therefore, the general public, including foreign nationals, are advised against the practice since it is contrary to the Immigration Amendment Act 2012,  Act 848,” he said.

-graphic