Kosh Raj Koirala

Authorities in Costa Rica have arrested seven Nepali nationals for illegally entering into the Latin American country on Thursday. According to Public Security Ministry of Costa Rica, the police in Perez Zeledon city arrested the Nepalese nationals with ´irregular´ immigration status when they were travelling in a vehicle. The driver of the vehicle Lederzma Ruiz has also been arrested. 

The ministry said five of the arrested have been detained in Palmar Norte and two others in the Office of Osa. "They were supposedly going to San Jose and came from South America," said a statement posted in the website of Costa Rican Public Security Ministry. 

It is suspected that the arrested were being taken by human traffickers to help them illegally enter the US. The incident of arrest comes amid reports that hundreds of Nepalis have been left in the lurch by the traffickers in various Latin American countries including Brazil, Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador. 

Some victims stranded in Sao Paulo city of Brazil told Republica over telephone that they were made to pay Rs 1.5 million to Rs 2.2 million to the unscrupulous manpower agents who had promised them to help make their way to the US through Mexico. "Ninety of us are now stranded in Sao Paulo. We do not have any food and lodging arrangement here," said Rabin Gurung, 22, of Pokhara. "Some of us are sleeping under bridges."

Gurung along with seven persons had left Kathmandu for Doha two months ago. They had met other Nepalis, who were also promised US entry, stranded in Sao Paulo. The unscrupulous manpower agents had brought them back to Sao Paulo as the agents faced difficulties in Bolivia in taking them to the US.

The manpower agents have been found taking Nepalis to Brazil from Kathmandu via Doha to help them enter into the US. The agents then follow the route of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Hondurus, Guatemala and Mexico before finally helping Nepalis enter the US.

 Published on: 10 August 2012 | Republica