캘거리 해롤드 1면에 대문짝만하게 나온 기사를 보면서 몇가지 생각.
첫째, 한국인으로서의 수치감
둘째, 캘거리 해럴드 편집진의 지나친 호들갑
셋째, 한국인의 국제적 위상
네째, 한국의 복지체제 재고
http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/story.asp?id=078D2D01-F7AF-4CEE-A4F8-7C34193706D5
High-tech smugglers target Alberta border
Suspected leader used night goggles
Kerry Williamson and Maria Canton
Calgary Herald; with files from The Canadian Press
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
One of 12 South Koreans trying to walk into the United States from Alberta was found wearing sophisticated night-vision goggles while allegedly ushering others across the border, a factor officials in the U.S. say points to likely involvement in an international human smuggling ring.
The 28-year-old man, who was apprehended by members of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency on the American side of the border near Coutts just after
10 p.m. Sunday, appeared in a Great Falls, Mont., courtroom Tuesday charged with illegally entering the United States.
He may face further charges.
Border officials now believe he may be a ringleader in what appears to be an organized attempt to smuggle a group of South Koreans into the U.S. from Canada.
Mark Kemp, the assistant chief of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency based at Havre, Mont., told the Herald the fact that the 28-year-old was found with night gear points to organized smuggling.
"Some of our personnel were working in the vicinity of the point of entry, using their own night-vision equipment, when they spotted a group of people who had circumvented the crossing," said Kemp.
"They walked around it (the crossing). They avoided going through it.
"When we moved to intercept them, they turned back and ran. We apprehended one man in possession of a cellphone and night-vision goggles.
"I would say, from that, that it was an organized effort. And I would say that the indicators are, he might be a participant."
A 28-year-old Korean national, whom officials believe was guiding the group, is to appear in Montana court today where a trial date is expected to be set.
Heung Gyu Kim pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the improper entry to the U.S.
Eleven people -- four men aged between 20 and 30 years old, and seven women aged between 22 and 30 years old -- have been detained by Citizenship and Immigration Canada officials.
Ten of the South Koreans being detained at the Calgary Remand Centre were apprehended by RCMP Calgary immigration and passport section investigators. They were at a Vulcan motel after allegedly fleeing the border.
The identifications of six of the women matched those of passports found in the possession of another South Korean man caught by Integrated Border Enforcement Team members on the Canadian side of the border the night before.
Immigration officials are still assessing their status in Canada. It is not known where they entered this country, or when and how. Nor is it known if money was, or was about to, change hands.
By Tuesday morning, nine of the 11 detainees were transported downtown to Calgary's provincial courthouse, where they were held in custody for the day while immigration officials interviewed them.
A spokesman for the RCMP said they are working with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to determine the scope and size of the smuggling ring.
"The status and what each individual was responsible for is being investigated," said Calgary-based Sgt. Rick Oncescu. "That is what is being determined: What happened? How did these people enter Canada? Why were they attempting to do what they were attempting to do?"
Kemp said the U.S. border officers were aware of activity around the Coutts-Sweetgrass crossing -- they had earlier discovered footprints in the snow -- and also knew of an Asian-based organization specializing in human smuggling to the U.S. through Canada.
"We have had some indications there was an organized smuggling effort going on somewhere in that part of the world," said Kemp.
"But we didn't have any previous knowledge . . . we really don't have any way to tell what level of activity there is (near the crossing).
"This is not the first time this has happened. I don't want to say it's a frequent occurrence, but we do expect it. Our responsibility is between ports of entry and that's where we are."
Kemp said security at the border has been beefed up in recent years, in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
And while Oncescu wouldn't say if Coutts is growing in popularity with human smuggling rings -- due in part to its remote location -- he acknowledged the Canada-U.S. border is one of the longest unprotected borders in the world.
"Coutts is a very popular area to cross for all Canadians as part of the pan-American freeway system that goes from Mexico to Canada," he said.
Daniel Hwang, president of the Calgary Korean Society, was certain the Koreans are not from Calgary. He said it was likely they had passed through Toronto or Vancouver on their way to the U.S.
"I have seen it in the Toronto area, and I have seen it in the Vancouver area, but this is the first time I have seen it in the Calgary area," he said.
In 1999, the UN called human trafficking the fastest-growing business for organized crime.
kwilliamson@theherald.canwest.com
mcanton@theherald.canwest.com
첫째, 한국인으로서의 수치감
둘째, 캘거리 해럴드 편집진의 지나친 호들갑
셋째, 한국인의 국제적 위상
네째, 한국의 복지체제 재고
http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/story.asp?id=078D2D01-F7AF-4CEE-A4F8-7C34193706D5
High-tech smugglers target Alberta border
Suspected leader used night goggles
Kerry Williamson and Maria Canton
Calgary Herald; with files from The Canadian Press
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
One of 12 South Koreans trying to walk into the United States from Alberta was found wearing sophisticated night-vision goggles while allegedly ushering others across the border, a factor officials in the U.S. say points to likely involvement in an international human smuggling ring.
The 28-year-old man, who was apprehended by members of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency on the American side of the border near Coutts just after
10 p.m. Sunday, appeared in a Great Falls, Mont., courtroom Tuesday charged with illegally entering the United States.
He may face further charges.
Border officials now believe he may be a ringleader in what appears to be an organized attempt to smuggle a group of South Koreans into the U.S. from Canada.
Mark Kemp, the assistant chief of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency based at Havre, Mont., told the Herald the fact that the 28-year-old was found with night gear points to organized smuggling.
"Some of our personnel were working in the vicinity of the point of entry, using their own night-vision equipment, when they spotted a group of people who had circumvented the crossing," said Kemp.
"They walked around it (the crossing). They avoided going through it.
"When we moved to intercept them, they turned back and ran. We apprehended one man in possession of a cellphone and night-vision goggles.
"I would say, from that, that it was an organized effort. And I would say that the indicators are, he might be a participant."
A 28-year-old Korean national, whom officials believe was guiding the group, is to appear in Montana court today where a trial date is expected to be set.
Heung Gyu Kim pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the improper entry to the U.S.
Eleven people -- four men aged between 20 and 30 years old, and seven women aged between 22 and 30 years old -- have been detained by Citizenship and Immigration Canada officials.
Ten of the South Koreans being detained at the Calgary Remand Centre were apprehended by RCMP Calgary immigration and passport section investigators. They were at a Vulcan motel after allegedly fleeing the border.
The identifications of six of the women matched those of passports found in the possession of another South Korean man caught by Integrated Border Enforcement Team members on the Canadian side of the border the night before.
Immigration officials are still assessing their status in Canada. It is not known where they entered this country, or when and how. Nor is it known if money was, or was about to, change hands.
By Tuesday morning, nine of the 11 detainees were transported downtown to Calgary's provincial courthouse, where they were held in custody for the day while immigration officials interviewed them.
A spokesman for the RCMP said they are working with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to determine the scope and size of the smuggling ring.
"The status and what each individual was responsible for is being investigated," said Calgary-based Sgt. Rick Oncescu. "That is what is being determined: What happened? How did these people enter Canada? Why were they attempting to do what they were attempting to do?"
Kemp said the U.S. border officers were aware of activity around the Coutts-Sweetgrass crossing -- they had earlier discovered footprints in the snow -- and also knew of an Asian-based organization specializing in human smuggling to the U.S. through Canada.
"We have had some indications there was an organized smuggling effort going on somewhere in that part of the world," said Kemp.
"But we didn't have any previous knowledge . . . we really don't have any way to tell what level of activity there is (near the crossing).
"This is not the first time this has happened. I don't want to say it's a frequent occurrence, but we do expect it. Our responsibility is between ports of entry and that's where we are."
Kemp said security at the border has been beefed up in recent years, in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
And while Oncescu wouldn't say if Coutts is growing in popularity with human smuggling rings -- due in part to its remote location -- he acknowledged the Canada-U.S. border is one of the longest unprotected borders in the world.
"Coutts is a very popular area to cross for all Canadians as part of the pan-American freeway system that goes from Mexico to Canada," he said.
Daniel Hwang, president of the Calgary Korean Society, was certain the Koreans are not from Calgary. He said it was likely they had passed through Toronto or Vancouver on their way to the U.S.
"I have seen it in the Toronto area, and I have seen it in the Vancouver area, but this is the first time I have seen it in the Calgary area," he said.
In 1999, the UN called human trafficking the fastest-growing business for organized crime.
kwilliamson@theherald.canwest.com
mcanton@theherald.canwest.com
