Four more people were arrested yesterday in the continuation of a joint Immigration/Police sting operation to capture illegal aliens.

Meanwhile, at a meeting of the local West Indian and Jamaican associations at the BIU hall last night, the sting was discussed late into the evening.

A spokesman for the groups -- concerned that Jamaicans are being used as "scapegoats'' -- told The Royal Gazette that a statement detailing all of the meeting's resolutions will be released today.

One person who attended the meeting described it as "heated'' and "very well-attended''.

Police revealed yesterday that three more Jamaicans were stopped at Bermuda International Airport in the morning after they attempted to board a US bound flight.

And a Portuguese national was taken into Police custody after he was found to be working at a construction site without a work permit.

The arrests come after a weekend which saw 16 suspected illegal aliens arrested by a joint task force made up of Bermuda Police Reserve officers and Immigration officers.

Six of those arrested, all Jamaican nationals, face deportation after they pleaded guilty to overstaying their entry visas in Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Details of yesterday's arrests were given by Police spokeswoman Evelyn James-Barnett.

She said: "The Jamaicans had bought plane tickets but they didn't have valid visas. They were denied entry to the US by Immigration officers, detained by task force officers and arrested.'' In regards to the arrest of the Portuguese national, Mrs. James-Barnett revealed: "Immigration officials received information about the man's employment from an unspecified source and attended his place of work.'' After fleeing the scene and being chased by task force officers, he was arrested and taken to Hamilton Police Station.

"The man was a bona fide visitor,'' Mrs. James-Barnett continued, "but he had been working for about a week without a valid work permit.'' She added that prosecutions are being sought for the man and his employer and that plea court appearances are expected for either this morning or tomorrow.

COURTS CTS