LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Eighteen suspected illegal immigrants were detained after being found inside a cargo container aboard a ship that reportedly departed Hong Kong nearly three weeks ago.
Twelve others were detained in Seattle after being found inside a filthy container aboard another ship that came from Hong Kong, INS officials said.In the California case, the Chinese immigrants, who were not injured, were found Sunday by crew members of the Zim Shekou as it was coming into the Port of Long Beach, said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Billy Davidson.
The group's trip began in Hong Kong and included a stopover in British Columbia, Davidson said. He was not sure how long they had been confined in the containers, but KCAL-TV reported that the group was on the ship for 20 days.
An Immigration and Naturalization Service spokesman did not immediately return a phone call placed after business hours Sunday.
In Seattle, the 12 men were being detained at an INS center after being found Sunday aboard the container ship OOCL Faith -- owned by Orient Overseas Container Line of Hong Kong.
INS spokesman Irene Mortensen said they were found inside a dirty container, where they had been since Dec. 18.
"I was standing up on the ship looking down," longshoreman Bill Sample told KIRO-TV. "You could tell that was just nasty in there. There are some desperate people, that's for sure. Felt sorry for them."
In other cases, 21 people were detained at the Port of Long Beach and nine others at neighboring Los Angeles Harbor on Dec. 29. In both those cases, the immigrants emerged from their hiding places when cargo containers were unloaded from ships.