The court of Saint-Martin sentenced this Wednesday, September 29, four men to prison terms ranging from one to two years for having brought 21 Haitians into French territory aboard a makeshift boat.
The four men were arrested on Sunday on the beach of Galisbay in Saint-Martin by the Border Police for having transported 21 people of Haitian nationality, including a child, aboard a 10-meter sailboat in poor condition and to have them helped to reach Saint-Martin.
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The four defendants, tried on Wednesday as part of an immediate appearance, denied throughout the hearing that they had organized "
migrant smuggling
".
According to their version, they had gone for a boat ride to test it in order to buy it.
Only the captain will explain that once in Guadeloupe, a friend would have offered to bring migrants back to Saint-Martin.
The deputy prosecutor, Yann Burnichon described "
a terrible case of exploitation of human misery
".
Two of the defendants were sentenced to two years' imprisonment with continued detention and banishment from French territory for five years.
The other two were sentenced to one year's imprisonment with continued detention.
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According to the statements of Haitian nationals, who first crossed the Haitian border to reach the Dominican Republic, the trip from the Dominican Republic to Saint-Martin costs between 2000 and 3000 dollars (2043 to 3065 euros).
