Authorities detain 20 Venezuelans, 1 Colombian off Curacao
WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao – A small group of migrants from Venezuela has been detained off the coast of the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao.
The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard says in a statement that the boat carrying the migrants was detected around midnight Friday about 6 miles (10 kilometres) south of the island in the southern Caribbean Sea. Authorities found 21 people from Venezuela and one Colombian on board. A statement said the authorities confiscated contraband that included cigarettes and ammunition and detained all on board on suspicion of attempting to illegally enter Curacao.
Coast Guard spokesman Roderick Gouverneur said all remained in custody on Monday.
An increasing number of people have been seeking to leave Venezuela amid the collapse of the oil-based economy in the South American nation.
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