Cindy MacDougall
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 20/00) - Two landed immigrants living in the Northwest Territories face deportation orders for committing serious crimes.

Alexander Lotsov, 23, originally from Russia, was arrested and charged with drug-related offences in Yellowknife March 1.

In an unrelated incident, Joaquim Ribeiro, 48, of Portugal, was arrested Feb. 23 in Fort Liard for violating immigration laws by committing violent crimes and forgery.

Randy Gurlock, spokesperson for Immigration and Citizenship Canada, said the two men faced Immigration and Refugee Board hearings Feb. 28 and March 1, respectively.

He said permanent residents have to commit serious crimes in order to face a hearing.

"You have to be convicted at a certain level before we order a hearing," Gurlock said. "You have to be sentenced to six months or be eligible to get five years or more (once convicted of a crime)."

Many landed immigrants convicted of a crime receive a warning letter, if the offence is not as serious, Gurlock said.

"But there's only one warning," he said.

Cpl. Susan Munn, federal enforcement officer for the RCMP's G Division, said immigration arrests are not uncommon in the North, but are infrequent.

"We had two last year, and that's a pretty average number," she said.

Munn stressed most immigrants in Canada and the North are law-abiding.

"These cases are not representative of the majority of immigrants who come to the Northwest Territories," she said.

"Many are productive and contributing citizens and residents of Canada."

The majority of deportation orders in Canada and the NWT are against American citizens, Gurlock said.

"We've had a number of American citizens come to the Northwest Territories to hide out," he said.

"Unfortunately, it's not an uncommon occurrence there or in the rest of Canada."

Lotsov and Ribeiro have 30 days to file an appeal of their deportation orders. The two men are guaranteed an appeal if they make the deadline.

They have been released on strict bonds until then.