Local police help look for 4 who violated immigration laws

by Jordan Schrader, JSCHRADE@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM
published November 4, 2006 12:38 am
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ASHEVILLE — Three immigration agents joined at least five local officers Thursday evening in seeking four people suspected of violating immigration law.

Buncombe County Sheriff’s Capt. Mike Davis said he and the other officers arrested a cab driver as he arrived at his home on Asheville’s Craven Street.

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“The way we got involved is, the gentlemen had applied for a gun permit and they flagged him,” Davis said. The man also runs a moving company.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents located a mother who runs a restaurant in Woodfin and asked her to report today to Charlotte.

Agents then went to Henderson County to look for the owner of a Buncombe County apartment building, but Davis didn’t know if they found him. Henderson County officials could not be reached for comment Friday evening.

A fourth Buncombe suspect apparently had returned home to the Netherlands, Davis said.

Those who are caught face deportation hearings.

It’s typical for agents to bring multiple warrants on trips to Western North Carolina, Davis said. “It’s a two-hour trip from Charlotte,” he said. “They don’t want to come just for one person.”

The Asheville and Woodfin police departments aided in the search.

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