
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 30, 1994                    TAG: 9406300573 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: B3    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: 940630                                 LENGTH: CAMDEN, N.J.

BAIL IS SET IN SCHEME TO SMUGGLE ALIENS \

{LEAD} The captain of a fishing boat charged with trying to bring more than 100 Chinese nationals into the United States through a Virginia port was involved in previous smuggling schemes, a prosecutor charged Wednesday.

The disclosure came at a bail hearing in U.S. District Court for Thai Nguyen of Lower Township and four crew members indicted on alien-smuggling charges. Prosecutors refused to elaborate on the allegation against Nguyen, 32, who piloted the vessel.

{REST} ``This is not a first-time thing for this individual,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Russell-Charles told reporters after the hearing. She said Nguyen may face additional charges.

At the hearing Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Joel B. Rosen set bail at $50,000 for Nguyen and the four crew members. He placed all five under house arrest and barred the defendants from working in the fishing industry pending trial.

The other four appearing in court were: Tuan Van Duong, 24, of Camden; Hung Ngoc Phan, 37, of Stockton, Calif; Tai Huu Phan, 38, of New York; and Hung D. Vo, 24, of Newark. All are charged with alien smuggling.

Authorities last week charged eight people, including Kenneth ``David'' Wong, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China who allegedly masterminded the scheme. Earlier bail hearings were held for Wong and two co-defendants arrested in Virginia.

Two others also were indicted Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the 108 Chinese nationals - caught when the Coast Guard intercepted a 75-foot fishing vessel - were transported Tuesday to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for repatriation, a State Department spokesman said, adding that since Guantanamo is not considered U.S. soil, the Chinese nationals can't make asylum claims there.

The Chinese were from Fujian Province on China's southeastern coast. They were caught June 18 when the Coast Guard seized the Captain Denny, a 75-foot scallop boat, 350 miles off the coast of Norfolk.

The Cape May-based fishing vessel picked up the aliens from an unnamed ``mother ship'' between June 14 and June 18 in an Atlantic Ocean rendezvous. It was not clear where the mother ship was or how long the aliens were at sea.

Also indicted Wednesday on alien smuggling charges were Chin Di Lin, who allegedly maintained order on the mother ship along with two aliens. Shan An Lin was charged with helping off-load the aliens to the Captain Denny.

Prosecutors have disclosed few details about the smuggling operation, which has become a growing problem in the United States. Russell-Charles said the Chinese nationals paid between $20,000 and $25,000 for the voyage.

Wong - according to the indictment - gave Nguyen $140,000 in cash to purchase the fishing boat in May. Wong was arrested in New York last week.

Eighteen enforcers allegedly helped carry out the plan along with six crew members. All were brought ashore in Cape May last week in handcuffs after Coast Guard cutters escorted the Captain Denny into port.

{KEYWORDS} ILLEGAL ALIENS CHINESE SMUGGLING by CNB