32 Chinese stowaways found in container in Los Angeles

[BEER980]

Thirty-two Chinese stowaways were found in two cargo containers in Los Angeles after surviving a nearly two-week ocean journey from Hong Kong, officials said.

The 32 would-be illegal immigrants were taken into custody on Saturday after a crane operator in Los Angeles port spotted three men climbing out of a hole cut in the side of a container, police said.

The containers with the men inside were loaded onto the ship two weeks ago in Shekou, China, police said. The men were in good health, officials said.

The stowaways, all men, had equipped the containers with supplies and ventilation to allow them to survive the perilous journey across the Pacific Ocean, said Los Angeles Port Police Lieutenant Titus Smith said.

"They had ventilation holes cut into the bottom of the container. They had a fan system set up that ran on batteries, they had ample food and water, juices, sleeping bags," he said.

The group of 28 adults and four teenagers lived inside two 40-foot long shipping containers, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The men were aboard the ship NYK Athena, but police said that it did not appear that the vessel's crew was aware of their illegal passengers, Smith added.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are investigating the stowaways pending a decision on their fate and will work with Chinese authorities to repatriate them.

One of the stowaways claimed to have paid 3,000 dollars for his passage to the United States, but investigators say smuggling fees for migrants from China typically range from 30,000 to 60,000 dollars, according to immigration agents.

Chinese immigrants have long risked their lives by stowing away illegally on ships in a bid to enter the United States.

The incident came almost a year after 19 smuggled Chinese migrants were found inside a container aboard a Cypriot-flagged vessel, the Ningbo, in February last year, the US Department of Homeland Security said.

Four men, including two members of Hong Kong's organised crime syndicates, or "snakeheads," were charged in connection with that incident.
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[JQ Public]

At least they caught these guys...let it be said that it was after the men tried to leave the crates. Homeland security psshhhhhh! Do they even check all of these crates?

[HurricaneGirl]

What did they do when they had to use the bathroom?

[alicia-w]

I thought they checked for explosives and stuff like that, not human cargo.

They are SO lucky to be alive after an ordeal like that. Are they going to be deported?

[BEER980]

Well unless they have made improvements to the system only 5% of the containers get checked. DHS said it would get better at searching but I don't remember when it will happen.