Customs patrols catch more people trying to cross border illegally

The number of illegal immigrants intercepted by Macau Customs Service sea patrols increased by 12.46% year-on-year from January to September, the head of Maritime Enforcement Department, Leong Wa Kan, revealed yesterday morning in a presentation to media representatives.
The total figures show that until September, the Maritime Enforcement Department registered a total of 107 cases, which resulted in the arrest of 305 illegal immigrants. According to Mr Leong, the majority of illegal immigrants were intercepted between the peninsula and Taipa island in an area understood to be located between the Friendship and Sai Van bridges.
The provision of services led by Leong Wa Kan were also responsible for the detainment of nineteen people who were staying in Macau illegally on expired visas.
Yesterday’s event also marked the fourteenth anniversary of the Customs Service and to provide an opportunity for the press to learn more about the equipment, duties and daily work of the force.
The official also highlighted the importance of one of the department’s main duties – to participate in the civil protection of the MSAR and in emergency operations together with other entities. He stated that this has been assuming a more relevant role in many aspects of civil society, especially in what has been referred to as the new areas of reclaimed land, located on the outer harbor.
In a Times report published on October 9, the secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, accompanied by customs officials, claimed to have broadly recognized the two entry point black spots for illegal migrants: Coloane’s Long Chao Kok and the University of Macau’s Hengqin campus. He further claimed that they have intensified their anti-stowaway watch along the shoreline of Coloane.
At that time, the secretary reported a surge in the number of illegal migrants, which grew by 64 percent between January and September.  These figures were considered as “very high” by Mr Wong, promising action from the authorities involved to develop more approaches to mitigating the surging flow of illegal immigrants. He also announced the introduction of police personnel patrolling the waters close to the shore in speedboats.
After the presentation from Leong Wa Kan, journalists boarded one of the Class B Patrol Boats where they had the opportunity to get a taste for the job by accompanying the Marine Enforcement Teams in one of their daily patrolling actions. Renato Marques