Archives

Diplomats praise Minister, CID for prompt action

by Sarath Malalasekera

A Group of foreign Diplomats in Sri Lanka who met the Interior Minister John Amaratunga recently at the Ministry praised the Minister, Acting CID, DIG Lionel Gunatileke and the Special Police team from Gampaha led by Senior SP Lucky Peiris for their prompt action to arrest 72 illegal immigrants including 42 Pakistanis and 12 Indians who were attempting to leave the country illegally for Italy aboard a fishing trawler on May 27, 2002.

The Special Police Team led by Senior SP Peiris also arrested 18 Sri Lankans who were allegedly attempting to leave the country illegally for Italy.

Minister Amaratunga told the Diplomats that the Government had taken the necessary steps to prevent the immigrant racket. Special Police teams from all over the country had been deployed to arrest the 'king pins' of this racket, the Minister said.

The Diplomats also agreed to provide all the information that they have about the illegal immigrant racket to Minister Amaratunga for necessary action.

Acting CID, DIG Lionel Gunatileke and Gampaha Senior SP Lucky Peiris submitted two separate reports containing their ongoing investigations regarding the racket.

Prof. Ravindra Fernando, Chairman National Dangerous Drug Control Association, Ministry of Interior Secretary M.N. Junaid, Acting IGP T.E. Anandarajah, Immigration and Emigration Controller Mervyn Wijesekera and several officials of the Attorney General's Department also participated.

The Minister was told that the investigations directed by Western Province North DIG Pathamasiri Liyanage and conducted by Gampaha Senior SP Lucky Peiris revealed that the king-pins of this human smuggling racket had charged rates ranging from Rs.150,000 to 300,000 from each person for ferrying them to Italy.

The Police told the Minister that they are trying to ascertain how the Pakistanis and Indians came to board the fishing trawler from the Galle District.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager