PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Jan. 15, CMC  – Reports of Trinidadians being held at a detention camp in Iraq are being investigated by the government.

In Parliament on Friday, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said the investigation is being  done, “through diplomatic channels and other agencies.”

Dillion was responding to a comment made by a legislator who said that based on reports, Trinidadians are being held in Iraq and the Iraqi government wanted to repatriate them.

Dillon said that while there has been no confirmation of nationals being held, the reports are being investigated.

Concerning local immigration matters, Dillion disclosed that over 14-thousand visitors overstayed their time in the twin island republic between January 1 and November 30, 2017.

The National Security Minister disclosed that based on information from the Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU),four people were smuggled into Trinidad and Tobago from Venezuela in the period January 1 to December 30, 2017.

He said the Immigration Division continues to effectively monitor and control the movements of people in and out of the country.

Dillon also identified a memorandum of intent signed last April between the country and the United States for the establishment of a personal identification secure comparison and evaluation system (PISCES) among other initiatives being pursued by Government to deal with illegal migrants in the twin island republic.