After receiving information from the community regarding images and posts circulating online about HPD arresting agricultural and retail workers in west Hawai‘i, police investigated the matter and determined the photo and information is false.
On Tuesday, police were notified of a photo reportedly showing a Border Patrol vehicle at a west Hawaiʻi business. Police received information that four individuals were recently arrested in the South Kona area.
Upon investigation, police traced the photo to a website well-known to law enforcement for spreading misinformation. Additionally, Hawai‘i County Police members did not arrest individuals in South Kona in the circumstances that were reported.
Police are encouraging members of the public to be vigilant against scammers and to do their own research on photos and information that may be inflammatory in nature.