Weak immigration control is contributing to an influx of illegal foreign sex workers into Timor-Leste, according to Member of Parliament Aderito Hugo.
MP Hugo pointed to the October 6 arrest of 49 Chinese nationals alleged to be prostitutes found working at the Romes Bar, My Flower Bar, Pione Hotel and New Oriental Hotel.
“They came here on a tourist visa and we did not manage to identify the purpose of their visits,” he said.
He said the foreign sex ring should have been uncovered by immigration control at the airport.
“When people come without a clear purpose, they should be deported by immigration,” he said.
He urged immigration officers to keep a database of foreign nationals in Timor-Leste on tourist visas to alert authorities when people had overstayed their 30 days in the country.
Immigration Police chief inspector Luis Barreto rejected Hugo’s accusation that his staff were under performing.
“Every day we uncover illegal prostitutes,” he said.
“There were 1737 prostitutes who we arrested from January to October 2014.”
He said some sex workers were made to pay fines and were deported from Timor-Leste while those who were found to have committed more serious crimes were sent to prison.
Barreto said foreign nationals had the right to visit Timor-Leste but if they overstayed their visas or committed illegal acts, immigration officers would intervene.
“The law doesn’t allow us to interview people in the airport and deport them arbitrarily,” he said.
He said investigations into the alleged sex ring were ongoing.
Parliamentary Women’s Group of Timor-Leste representative Filomena Reis said it was the responsibility of the police to address the issue of prostitution across the country.
