Posted on 05/24/2002 1:56:16 PM PDT by NativeNewYorker
Washington (dpa) - Ten Chinese men who swam naked to the California shore near Los Angeles were in custody of the Immigration and Naturalization Service on Friday for questioning and likely deportation.
``They arrived naked with their clothes in plastic bags,'' said Francisco Arcaute, an INS spokesman in Los Angeles. ``Some got dressed in business suits, others in workout suits. A local resident saw them and they were caught by police and are being questioned by INS.''
The men used a makeshift raft to get ashore at Newport Beach, an upscale shore community south of Los Angeles, the INS said.
They were spied about 3 a.m. Thursday morning by a group of teenage girls partying on the beach who invited the men to join them, thinking they were skinny dipping, the Los Angeles Times reported. The men started pulling on clothes and ignored the girls, who became suspicious and alerted their father.
The dad called the police, who tracked them hiding or walking on the road, the Times said.
The INS believes the men were dropped near the shore by a ship called the ``Fu Ching'', which has been diverted to Long Beach Harbour.
An estimated 20,000 Chinese nationals try to enter the United States illegally every year, often through third countries such as Mexico, the Times said. Recent crackdowns have stemmed the smuggling aboard cargo containers that dock at ports on the East and West Coasts.
More like 20,000 every few weeks or so. But hey, I am sure they are all hard working family folks.
Hah. The girls got dissed so they got suspicous.
That line cracked me up.
George: Shrinkage Jerry.
Jerry: Shrinkage??
George: Ya know...(pointing) Shrinkage!
Jerry: OHH! Shrinkage!
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., May 24 (Reuters) - Ten Chinese men who waded ashore naked on a southern California beach were being questioned by immigration officials on Friday after failing in an attempt to blend in with locals by changing swiftly into dry designer jeans and baseball caps.
In one of the more bizarre attempts to gain illegal entry into the United States, the men were rounded up on or near beaches around the town of Newport Beach after being spotted emerging from the chilly ocean around dawn by Coast Guard officials and partying teenagers.
The young men, thought to be in their 20s and 30s, were at first mistaken for skinny dippers. "We saw some naked people in the water and so we ran down to see if they wanted to party, and they were all up here and on the ground undoing bags and things," one teenager told reporters.
Coast Guard officials said the men had come ashore on small makeshift rafts and buoys, wading or swimming the last few yards and carrying dry clothes in plastic bags which they hurriedly changed into on the beach.
One of the rafts that was later washed up contained family photographs, chewing gum, food and cigarettes.
Coast Guards later intercepted a Taiwanese fishing boat at sea that is believed to have dropped the men off. Newport Beach police said the men had journeyed from mainland China, changing boats several times before reaching the California coast.
"Arriving in rafts is something you generally don't see on the West Coast. Chinese nationals usually try to get in on shipping containers," said Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) spokesman Francisco Arcaute.
"We are trying to determine three things. Who are they? How did they get here? And what is their purpose for being in the United States?.
"It appears they are simply undocumented aliens. As far as I am aware they have made no claims for political asylum," said Arcaute. The men, who did not appear to be related, were being questioned at an INS facility.
The teenagers, who had been holding a school reunion beach party, saw the men change into sweatshirts, jeans, baseball caps, sports coats and business suits before heading for the nearby main road. Police and immigration officials took four hours to find them all.
An estimated 20,000 Chinese nationals try to enter the United States illegally every year. In February, 16 Chinese were found in a cargo container on a ship entering Long Beach port and last year 23 Chinese stowaways were found hiding in the hold of a Chinese ship berthed at Long Beach.
No way, China is our friend.
"Be naked when you arrive on the beach, but remember to be with the girls on the beach and drink with them. Our Mullah will give you dispensation to permit this! But beware, these are not the 72 virgins promised you! In fact, none of them may be virgins at all..."
Uh, THEY didn't get reported to the cops!
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