On Monday we told you that 16 Cubans went to court after they were charged with being prohibited immigrants. The Cubans had reportedly left Grand Cayman - where they were trying to seek asylum - on a boat last month and after having mechanical failures and subsequently running out of gas, they drifted into Belizean waters, without their passports.
And while no fines were imposed, Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser did issue a removal order for all of them. And today, the captain of their boat, named "Fishin N Wishin," was back in court after the Immigration Department made an application to have their vessel forfeited to the Government of Belize. And since the boat captain, 30-year-old Jeiler Miguel Rosales Medina made no objections to this application, it was granted by the Senior Magistrate. It is currently impounded at the Belize Coast Guard Compound in San Pedro.
And tonight, the 16 Cubans are still at the Belize Central Prison until the Immigration Department can make arrangements with their relatives back in Cuba to cover the cost to deport all of them. They are currently working with the Cuban Embassy in Belmopan to get this done as soon as possible.
