Hundreds of Burmese deported

PHUKET TOWN: Hundreds of illegal Burmese were sent home today in trucks, and Immigration officers are hunting for hundreds more they say are still in Phuket. Pol Col Apirak Hongtong, Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Office, said, “We are seeking more escaped Burmese who are hiding out in all kinds of places.” The colonel also said that the department was investigating allegations that an Immigration officer accepted a bribe to allow four arrested Burmese to go free. A 32-year-old Burmese named as Win claimed that he organized through another Burmese named Sakorn or “Cat” to pay for the freedom of two women, Sho, 20 and Uey, 30, and two four-year-old children. The four were to have been expelled for breaches of work permit conditions. Sakorn said he had bribed an Immigration officer, but did not know the man’s name. Col Apirak said, “We have tried to make sure that no officers are involved in bribery of this nature. We would like more evidence but frankly, we don’t have any more clues. “If we can confirm an officer was involved, we will punish him.”