Smuggling of Aliens From China on Rise

SAN YSIDRO — U.S. Border Patrol agents have this year apprehended more than 100 illegal aliens from mainland China, who officials say were brought into the country from Mexico by an organized smuggling ring.

Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Mike Williams said that agents detained 27 Chinese late Thursday, raising to 54 the number of Chinese apprehended in the San Diego sector this month. By contrast, Williams said, agents detained 19 Chinese last year.

“We have a sharp increase in alien smuggling of Chinese this year. Obviously, what we are seeing here is an organized smuggling effort,” Williams said.

He said the illegal aliens are traveling by boat and airplane, either from Holland to Mexico, via Guatemala, or from the Philippines to Mexico, via El Salvador.

“This is a very lucrative effort. Some say they are paying $10,000 apiece, and some have paid as much as $30,000. This is a very professional group, in terms of smuggling,” he said.

In the past, Chinese illegal immigrants have usually entered the country on ships through ports such as Los Angeles or Seattle, Williams said.

The fact that the recent illegal aliens appear to be paying such large sums of money for their transport indicates that they are coming to join family members, rather than because of economic hardship, he said.

Williams said officials have not ascertained that the Chinese detained Thursday are from the mainland because of difficulty finding translators to interview them.

Fifteen of the 27 Chinese were found among a group of 40 illegal aliens at a drop house in National City, Williams said.

The other 12 aliens were apprehended northeast of Otay Mesa after being detected by an electronic sensor.