Dominican Republic Reports Apprehension of 74 Migrants from Haiti
By the Caribbean Journal staff
A minibus carrying 74 Haitian immigrants was apprehended in the Dominican Republic, the government announced Saturday.
The bus, which was stopped by members of the Dominican Republic’s Fourth Army Brigade, was en route to Santiago, officials said.
It was apprehended near Aguas de la Palma in the Montecristi province.
It was reportedly carrying 62 men, 10 women and two children.
Two Dominicans will be prosecuted on trafficking charges in assisting the immigrants in making the trip, which reportedly involved payment of about $77 for passage, the migrants said.
The Haitian migrants were handed over to immigration authorities and will be returned to Haiti. They were undocumented, according to the government.
The Dominican Republic said it had received reports of an “alarming” increase in traffic from Haiti to the Dominican Republic’s northwest and border regions.
