Police in Jamaica’s Portland area pick up additional Haitian nationals who arrive illegally by boat, bringing the total in custody from 17 earlier Monday to 22 and later to 28, according to reports citing police action. Initial arrests occur early Monday morning after police are alerted to a group seen near the College of Agriculture, Science and Education campus in Portland. Officers intensify their search and detain 17 people, consisting of 10 men, four women and three children. They are taken to the Port Antonio Police Station for immigration and health processing and held overnight while the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) and the health department continue screening.
Later in the day, police find and detain more people in the Passley Gardens and Norwich area. Additional pickups bring the count to 22, then to 28. By later updates, the additional detainees include men found across the campus area and in the Passley Gardens area and nearby locations. Reports state the landing location is not confirmed, but it is suspected to be in the beach area bordering Passley Gardens and Norwich communities.
