US Illegal immigrants Chinese

A DETAINED ship's cargo of 128 Chinese, who expected to be smuggled into the United States, was sent back to China from Singapore yesterday accompanied by mainland officials.

In a surprisingly quick resolution of their case, the Chinese flew to Xiamen in Fujian province.

The 115 men and 13 women were found crammed in the hold of a 499-tonne cargo ship when it was intercepted by a Singapore patrol boat.

Police said the ship had sailed from Hongkong on November 25 bound for New York. It stopped for repairs at Keelung, Taiwan, where the illegal immigrants were believed to have boarded it.

They said each person had agreed to pay up to US$30,000 (HK$231,900) to be smuggled into the US.