West Indian Association president Shurnette Caines last night spoke out about the weekend `illegal alien' sting operation.

"I feel very strongly that you can't be a guest in anyone's country and break the law,'' Mrs. Caines said, "and I will back this Government 100 percent there.'' But Mrs. Caines questioned if Jamaicans were being used as scapegoats.

However, Police have flatly denied this, stating that they were acting on information received by Immigration.

Upset that many of those arrested were married to Bermudians and legally on the Island, Mrs. Caines said a formal statement will be issued after a meeting of the West Indian Association and the Jamaican Association slated for this evening.

"We want to make sure that these laws are being enforced across the board and that they are not just targeting certain pockets of people,'' she said.

"I am very disappointed by much of what I heard about this operation. Most of the 16 arrested were in Bermuda legitimately.

"They arrested 16, all of them Jamaican. But ten of them they later discovered actually had legitimate work permits or were married to Bermudians.'' She further claimed: "They broke down people's doors and brought them in their underwear. One lady I spoke with said she had to ask them if she could put on more clothes because she was not fully dressed and another said when she asked if she could use the bathroom, they acted as if they didn't want her to go.'' Jamaican, West Indian associations to meet Mrs. Caines noted what members will focus on in tonight's meeting.

"We will be keenly looking at if there will be other searches of different nationalities,'' she said. "I understand there was a raid last month of a different group, but it wasn't in the news and wasn't publicised at all. We will look at why. And I have to ask if Jamaicans are being used as scapegoats and if we are going to continue to be the scapegoats. That would be unfair.'' A Police spokesperson last night stressed the sting did not target a particular nationality.

"It definitely was an Immigration initiative,'' the spokesperson said.

"Police were acting on information that was given to the Immigration Department in executing the warrants the way they did.

"Immigration used Police on an operation several months ago when cleaning companies were targeted and heavy fines were later doled out.'' And Immigration Minister Paula Cox last night denied that the operation was drug related, saying it was an example of strengthening ties between Police and the Immigration departments -- much like the relationship between Narcotics department and Customs.

"Drugs had no connection with these people,'' Ms Cox said. "There should be more cooperation between Immigration and Police in security and other issues.

Sometimes they work together and we want to rationalise manpower.''