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Alia crew deported, owner fined $6,000

American Samoa Homeland Security logo
Sources: Talanei News/Pacnews

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The owner of the alia from Samoa which was caught entering American Samoa on 20 December, without prior approval as required under the measles emergency declaration, is to be fined $6,000, this according to Talanei News as reported in Pacnews.

American Samoa Homeland Security Director Samana Semo Ve’ave’a said the owner had purchased the Alia from Samoa and the boat was making its first trip to the territory.

There were four crew members on board, one was a permanent alien resident from Samoa and three were Samoan citizens traveling on entry permits.

Samana said the owner indicated in the permit application that the crew would travel by plane. It’s a requirement that the foreign travelers provide return tickets but in this case, the three  Samoan citizens did not have round trip tickets.

The permanent resident alien, according to Samana, is to be fined $1500 while the owner will be fined $6,000,

The Alia was detected by marine surveillance of the coast as part of the emergency declaration.

The three crew members from Samoa made their initial appearances in Distirct Court last week  and  were returned to Samoa with the sponsor paying their fares.