Officers of the Professional Migration Police and personnel from the Ministry of Work and the Social Security Service  (C.C.S.S.) found a total of 47 foreigners working under “irregular conditions” AKA Illegally in two companies hired by Coopesa a company dedicate to the repair and maintenance of air crafts.

The group included natives from El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela who received salaries of between U.S. $420.00 to U.S. $1,300.00 a week. The inspection was done due to several reports filed to the General Directorate of Migration by some of the illegal workers.

After carrying out the inspection to verify that all foreigners had their working permit up to date, the police found that this group came into the country as tourists, status that does not allow them to hold paying jobs, none of the foreigners had requests in progress either.

According to the Migration Law, if it is proved that Coopesa was hiring workers who were in the country in an irregular condition, the company could receive a fine that can go from 2 to 12 times the base salary, which would depend on the severity of the charges and the number of foreign people found working irregularly.

Authorities seized the passports of all 47 individuals and now they will have to present themselves to Migration offices to either leave the country or regularize their status in the country.