ALIEN SMUGGLING OPERATION THWARTED

UNCLAS VANCOUVER 001521

SIPDIS

G/TIP FOR WENDY OWEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM CVIS KWMN CA KS
SUBJECT: ALIEN SMUGGLING OPERATION THWARTED


1. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) personnel arrested a
group of twelve people attempting to enter the U.S. near
Oroville, Washington, on December 1. The group, consisting of
seven women and five men, was arrested in a van near the
Washington-British Columbia border minutes after entering the US
on foot. All except the driver were South Korean nationals.
The driver, Julian Ng of Burnaby, British Columbia, is a citizen
of Canada. The van had been rented under another person's name
in Seattle.


2. The group will be interviewed in depth today by a team from
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to determine the
possible charges that might be brought against the individuals
involved. In discussions with DHS officials, post has learned
that one of those arrested appears to have been denied entry to
the US at Los Angeles airport in 2001 as an alien smuggler.
ICE officials believe additional arrests may be possible in this
case.


3. Comment: The incident has appeared on several local news
media in Vancouver and may pressage an increase in South Korean
alien smuggling in our consular district. In 2003, estimates of
South Koreans being smuggled into the US along our consular
district's southern border ran as high as 400 a month.
LUKENS