U.S. immigration officials detained 132 Chinese illegal immigrants, after finding them bolted inside a secret compartment of the 'Prince Nicholas'

August 25, 1999
Web posted at: 4:44 p.m. EDT (2044 GMT)

By Correspondent Stacey Wilkins

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A raid by U.S. immigration authorities earlier this month broke up a suspected syndicate operation trying to illegally smuggle Chinese workers into a southern U.S. seaport.

VIDEO CNN's Stacey Wilkins looks at what world governments are doing about illegal Chinese immigrants Windows Media 28K 80K

The high-profile bust was just the latest example of a growing problem facing immigration officials worldwide.

The operation exposed in Savannah, Georgia led to the arrest of a group of hopefuls searching for the American dream.

But instead of being welcomed with open arms, they were led away to cells...after Immigration and Naturalization Service officials received a tip that the ship carried more than just pig iron.

A total of 132 Chinese illegals were bolted inside a secret compartment of the "Prince Nicolas."

"We are talking about an indentured servant, a type of 20th century slave ship," INS spokesman Thomas Fischer told CNN.

The well-planned operation eluded two searches, before immigration officials finally discovered the men in the bowels of the ship.

Investigators say the men paid up to $50,000 dollars to organized crime figures in China to get them to America.

"They were coming here to work. They weren't coming here to go to Niagara Falls, or Stone Mountain or the Grand Canyon," Fischer said.

But they won't be finding work anytime soon. All 132 men and 28 crew members were locked up in a Georgia detention center, while U.S. officials consider whether to send them back to China.

Seven people have already been charged and face up to 30 years in prison.

U.S. immigration officials detained 132 Chinese illegal immigrants, after finding them bolted inside a secret compartment of the 'Prince Nicholas'

But the continued arrivals of Chinese boatpeople is not just an American problem. Canadian authorities say two ships carrying illegal Chinese immigrants arrived in British Colombia in the past month alone.

"There is an interest in coming to Canada to work. There's an expression of poverty in the country in which they have left. So essentially what it is is that they are indicating to us they are here to make money," Canadian Immigration Department spokesman Jim Redmond said.

Several countries around the world are now developing tough new measures in response to the recent surge in illegal immigrants. Laws being considered would stop the illegals ever reaching their shores.

The problem has prompted Canada to re-examine its immigration procedures.

The system is coming under fire for allowing those who claim refugee status to remain in the country until a hearing is held...a process that can take up to two years.

Some 600 Chinese boatpeople have tried to sneak into Australia this year

And in Australia, the government has boosted coastal surveillance and increased penalties after more than 6oo immigrants -- most of them from China -- were caught trying to illegally enter the country this year.

"What this does is send a clear message to people that if they are thinking Australia is an easy mark for illegal immigrants to come in and by paying money jump the queue, they can now think again," said Australian Justice Minister Amanda Vanstone.

Canberra is also taking its message directly to the source... spreading the word in China that any caught trying to enter Australia illegally will be quickly deported.