22 Chinese held in apparent human smuggling attempt in Seattle (in cargo container)

Canada.com ^ | April 5, 2006 | Tim Klass

[FairOpinion]

SEATTLE (AP) - Twenty-two Chinese nationals were in custody Wednesday after they apparently let themselves out of a 12-metre cargo container that had been used to smuggle them from China, officials said.

The 18 men and four women, all believed to be in their 20s and 30s, seemed to be in good physical condition after about two weeks in the container, said Michael Milne, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Port of Seattle security guards spotted the group about 1 a.m.

Milne said there was no evidence of "any real criminal or terrorist activity . . . just an alien smuggling operation."

He said the stowaways were believed to be part of an organized smuggling ring, but he had no information about how much they paid for the voyage or who ran the operation.

Milne said it could take investigators several days to determine whether the people be deported, be held as material witnesses or face other proceedings, such as asylum hearings.

The shipping container, the second from the bottom in a stack of four, had been flagged for a special examination, but that had not been conducted before the group was caught, Milne said.

It had been loaded on the ship in Shanghai and had water bottles, food, blankets and toilet facilities.

"The conditions are certainly not deluxe, but everyone came off in apparently good health," Milne said.

The group apparently pried the container open early Wednesday and lowered themselves about two metres to the ground, he said. About half were found within the terminal and the other half were spotted trying to get out through a gate, Milne said.

Once they were intercepted, "there was no attempt to flee or hide," he said. "They were co-operative."

The ship is registered in Liberia, and operated by China Shipping Line, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.

Officials at Norton Lilly, a Mobile, Ala., company listed as China Shipping Line's agent in Seattle, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said the incident demonstrated the need for greater port security.

"This appears to have been a case of human smuggling, but that cargo container could have been filled with anything from a dirty bomb to a cell of terrorists," Murray said Wednesday in a speech on the Senate floor.

It was believed to be the first detection of a human smuggling attempt via cargo container in Seattle since a flurry along the U.S. and Canadian West Coast in 2000 and 2001. Almost all of those caught were deported. Three found in a shipping container had died before reaching Seattle in January 2000.

[FairOpinion]

The interior of a 40-foot cargo container used to transport 22 Chinese nationals believed to be part of a human smuggling operation. (AP Photo/U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

[American Soldier]

Milne said there was no evidence of "any real criminal or terrorist activity . . . just an alien smuggling operation."

Uhhh... hmmm... OK...

[csvset]

Phew! That had to stink.

[Jim_Curtis]

Stop the Chinese shipments immediately. This is absurd.

[Global2010]

Chinese have been coming in thru the Ports illegally for many many decades.

Someone forgot to pay someone else to look the other way.

About every so many years you will see a new story like this almost ditto.

Merchant foreign ships used to bring all kinds in the San Fran dock as a kid we used to go meet one particular boat from Philippine and Indonesia.

We brought two of our Dachshund puppies for a gift to the Captain in exchange for well I was a kid and not previe to know about the details of illegals stow aways who were running from Marcos' regime in fear of their life.

I do remember the family I was adopted by having these illegal political asylum persons coming and staying a day or two and listening in on the details of how a Dictatorship ran a country and the fear for life ect... then these few that I met would be hidden and filtered into our Country to assimilate as natural citizens.

China has a BIG market for relatives who need to get to America yesterday.

It is not terrorists panning to come into our Country it is human beings who want freedom.

I am sorry to say if things go unchecked here in our homeland we may end up a socialist or dictatorship too. Most Americans need to get their selfish heads out of their rears and participate in keeping our Democracy afloat else it is going to be gone in a blinking of the eye, to late Charlie Brown.

/rant

[albee]

"SEATTLE (AP) - Twenty-two Chinese nationals were in custody Wednesday after they apparently let themselves out of a 12-metre cargo container that had been used to smuggle them from China, officials said."

Stick them in the next container going to China!

[Roy Tucker]

Send 'em to Mexico.

[umgud]

22 Chinese held in apparent human smuggling attempt in Seattle (in cargo container)

Man, this is a real catch-22.

[Just Lori]

Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said the incident demonstrated the need for greater port security.

This also demonstrates the need for NO MORE (Osama mama) Patty Murray!

[CowboyJay]

"any real criminal or terrorist activity . . . just an alien smuggling operation."

Alien smuggling is a criminal activity... as is unlawful immigration, my dear little lying liberal.

[SeaBiscuit]

They must of heard the news that invertebrates are 'enforcing' our immigration laws.

[Dallas59]

Why would they want to come to the United States? This is the home of Nazi Bush Hitler and there are no rights for anyone and people are being arrested and placed in Bush Hitlers concentration camps and poverty is at %99999 and Zionist drink the blood of everyone...and...and...

< /sar>

[taxesareforever]

Nothing new here. Open borders, open ports. They should have gone to Mexico and then just walked across the border.

[hershey]

Lots more where they came from.

[hershey]

Dachshund puppies bump!!!!

[tkathy]

This is why the wall is such a stupid idea.

[sionnsar]

Say WA? Evergreen State ping

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.

Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[Not A Snowbird]

my dear little lying liberal

Mike isn't a lying liberal. He could have phrased that more clearly, but he's not trying to deceive anyone.

[Not A Snowbird]

"any real criminal or terrorist activity . . . just an alien smuggling operation."

To set the record straight... I know Michael Milne. I asked him about this comment yesterday, and he was pretty upset at how it got printed in the paper. He did NOT say it, or imply in any way that alien smuggling was not a criminal act. The reporter took several paragraphs of explanation and reduced it down to those few words, completely changing the meaning of what Mike said.

Just thought you'd all like to know.

[American Soldier]

I apologize for my rather sarcastic reply then.