ROAD TOWN, BVI: The British Virgin Islands government is moving to curb incidents where travellers use irregular documents to gain entry into the Territory.

Acting Chief Immigration Officer Malvern Brathwaite said the Immigration Department will maintain its proactive method to prosecute offenders and their accomplices. 

Brathwaite said the action forms part of the Department’s ongoing surveillance operations at ports of entry, adding that the recent conviction of two persons in the Magistrate’s Court served to highlight the officers’ commitment to enforcing the immigration laws, while protecting the Territory’s borders.

“It is imperative that the message is made clear that any person caught attempting to enter the Territory with fraudulent documents will be prosecuted,” Brathwaite said.

His comments came following separate convictions of two Dominican Republic nationals Pedro Coplin Ramirez and Pedro Qeriedo.

The Magistrate’s Court recently fined Ramirez $10,000 for providing false information and $1,000 dollars for using an irregular passport to enter the Territory, or one year imprisonment. The fines were paid. Meanwhile, Qeriedo is awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to using an irregular document to gain entry.

The Acting Chief Immigration Officer noted that surveillance operations and other investigations will continue in an effort to identify residents who assist travellers to land with fake documents.

“We are very concerned about incidents where local residents continue to knowingly assist persons to enter the Territory in contravention of the immigration laws,” he said.

Brathwaite described the problem as being very serious, and reminded the public that the Immigration and Passport Amendment Act makes provisions for persons convicted for the offence to be fined $3,000 or imprisoned for up to two years.

“This area is a critical part of the Department’s border management initiatives and we ask for the community’s support in order to protect the BVI’s best interest and make certain that the work we do is conducive to the public good of the Territory and the security of our homeland,” he said.