Fifty Brazilians turned back at Dublin airport

About 50 Brazilians were refused permission to enter the State in the last two days after immigration officers became suspicious they intended to stay illegally rather than visit for last night's soccer international as they claimed.

Garda sources said the Brazilians were refused after arriving at Dublin airport on flights from various European cities.

Gardaí believe they were either going to stay on in Ireland illegally or try and gain access to Britain by abusing the relaxed immigration controls in the common travel area between both countries.

The estimated 50 that had been refused entry by yesterday evening had arrived here either alone or in small groups posing at soccer fans. More than 40 were refused entry on Tuesday with a smaller number arriving yesterday.

When the passports of many were checked at immigration controls at Dublin airport it was found some had overstayed in Ireland in the past.

Sources said most had arrived from airports in Spain and France with Madrid, Barcelona and Paris being the most popular cities of origin. The majority had last night been sent back to those cities on the next available flights.

All were refused entry at Dublin airport after they were stopped and interviewed by members of the Garda National Immigration Bureau.

The immigration officers were told to be vigilant in the days leading up to last night's game following an increase in the number of Brazilians trying to enter the Republic illegally in recent years.

In 2004 some 605 Brazilians were refused permission to enter the State. However, in the first half of 2005 gardaí noticed a large increase in the numbers arriving claiming to be visiting Ireland on holiday.

At the same time a large number were detected trying to enter Britain illegally from the Republic and Northern Ireland. Gardaí put a special operation in place and in the first half of 2006 some 547 Brazilians were refused permission to enter the State, far more than any other nationality.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times