Eighteen Brazilians Charged for Immigration Offences

Eighteen Brazilians who were charged with immigration offences appeared in the Magistrate’s Court late Monday. They pleaded guilty and were fined, before being ordered to leave the country upon settling their fines. In the meantime, four of their children have been placed in the custody of the Human Services Department until all of their removal orders have been fulfilled. The Brazilians, whose occupations range from engineer to grocery bagger, were caught last Friday after they had crossed the Mopan River in Benque Viejo. They were all fined a thousand dollars each, in default, six months in prison. Authorities allege that the Brazilians uttered false visitors’ permit stamps. Prior to their guilty pleas, nine of them told the court that via a translator that they were duped into thinking that they could have traveled through Belize in their attempt to reach the U.S.  The fourteen men and four women indicated to the court that after this experience, they want to return home, but they have expressed interest in visiting Belize legally in the future.