THIRTY-six Panamanian nationals and twelve Haitian nationals were convicted in separate Magistrate’s Court proceedings yesterday after pleading guilty to immigration offences stemming from a recent enforcement operation in New Providence.
The Panamanians appeared before Senior Magistrate Raquel Whyms, where they were convicted of overstaying.
The Haitians appeared before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley and were convicted of overstaying and illegal landing.
All defendants pleaded guilty. Fines and sentences ranged from $300 to $3,000, or custodial terms of four months to one year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
The court matters followed a targeted operation carried out on January 31 by the Enforcement Unit at a warehouse off Fire Trail Road, New Providence, where 58 foreign nationals were apprehended.
Those detained included 44 Panamanian nationals, seven Colombians, five Ecuadorians, one Haitian and one Venezuelan.
All were taken to the Detention Centre for further investigation and processing under the Immigration Act.
Officials said the operation was executed based on actionable intelligence received by the department.
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