The boat the Haitian migrants arrived on was set ablaze.
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Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, head of the JCF's Corporate Communications Unit
By Kimone Witter
The police say nine people, suspected to be Haitians who arrived by boat at Long Road in Portland between Sunday night and Monday morning, are being processed by the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).
The individuals were removed from a taxi in Hope Bay on Monday.
Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Corporate Communications Unit, confirmed that the police were alerted to the boat by residents of Long Road.
"When they checked, they didn't see any occupants of the boat. But based on information on the boat, they suspected that probably it came from Haiti. So following investigations, a car was intercepted and nine persons were found - five males and four females - suspected to be Haitian nationals. They are currently in custody and the last update I got is that they are being medically examined, and our passport and immigration department now are doing the necessary checks to obtain identity and nationality, etc.," SSP Lindsay told Radio Jamaica News.
The local police have been probing a suspected human trafficking ring operating between Jamaica and Haiti over the last several months.
A group of more than 30 Haitians who arrived in Jamaica in July are still in the country pursuing asylum.
More than 60 others who arrived illegally since then have been sent back to Haiti.
The Ministry of National Security had reported that the captain of a vessel, which arrived with 35 Haitians in September, was previously repatriated from Jamaica.
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