Authorities raid American Samoa immigration office

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa: Law enforcement agents in American Samoa have raided the US territory's Office of Immigration seeking evidence of human trafficking in a case that could involve victims from China, the Philippines and South Korea, authorities said.

The agency is suspected of helping to illegally bring Asians into the South Pacific territory through neighboring Samoa, Lieutenant John Cendrowski of the Office of Territorial and International Criminal Intelligence and Drug Enforcement said in a search warrant that was executed Thursday.

It's possible that hundreds of victims were brought to American Samoa from May to Dec 15, Cendrowski said. Many were women apparently being used by a prostitution ring that is plaguing the South Pacific, while the men found work in warehouses, restaurants and stores, he said.