LTTE arms dealers turn to human trafficking
The smuggling syndicates lost the lucrative business of arms when the
war ended in Sri Lanka so they switched to human cargo, using the
expertise and government contacts they had developed, said Canadian
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
“We know that there are three or four syndicates, each of which had
developed an area of expertise in smuggling contraband in Southeast Asia
in general, but more particularly contraband armaments to the LTTE in
Northern Sri Lanka,” he told The National Post.
Canadian officials believe the MV Sun Sea operation was facilitated
by long-established Southeast Asian smuggling syndicates.
Investigation carried out by Canadian authorities has identified 32
so far with suspected ties to the LTTE organized crime and war crimes.
Also on the ship were “prominent figures” who played “primary roles
in the smuggling venture,” the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
report says.
“We’ve committed to the Canadian people to use all of the legal means
at our disposal to stop and disincentives the smugglers from targeting
Canada,” said Kenney.
The Canadian government is also taking a “vigorous approach” in such
countries as Thailand, where last fall the RCMP and Canada Border
Services Agency helped disrupt another vessel before it left for Canada,
the Minister said.
But he said the smuggling syndicates are still active and have taken
deposits from passengers who are now being moved around transit
countries awaiting the “green light” to board a ship to Canada. “The
syndicates appear to be, in some cases, well-advanced in planning future
voyages,” he said.
As many as 45 smuggling agents were involved, The National Post said,
posted at key locations along the smuggling route.
They were the recruiters who circulated in the aftermath of the Sri
Lankan civil war, offering passage to the West - for a price.
The fee varied but most paid $ 20,000 to $ 30,000. The agents
collected a deposit of as little as 10 percent. The rest was to be paid
in Canada, where the migrants were assured they would be wealthy. The
migrants were not even sure what they were getting for their money.
“Many claim to have not known what the destination would be,” reads
the “Protected” CBSA report obtained by The National Post. “Some were
told it would be Australia, New Zealand or Canada.”
A man, who can only be identified as B005, told Canadian officials he
was not an official crew member but that when he arrived at the ship he
was asked whether he had any naval skills, and he did.
The report said, between 1990 and 1996, he had worked on a Tigers
smuggling ship called the MV Sun Bird. He was well-travelled. He had
already made a refugee claim in Germany, and when turned down he went to
the UK. After a failed attempt to move to New Zealand, he decided to
join his brother in Canada.
The smuggling agents helped their clients get passports and visas so
they could travel to Thailand, the transit country.
Once there, the agents took them to “holding venues” where they
waited until they were taken offshore to the ship. Before boarding, the
agents took their passports and other identity documents.
The RCMP and Royal Thai Police are still investigating the suspected
smuggling kingpins behind the Sun Sea.
A man known as German Babu, who has dual German and Sri Lankan
citizenship, was arrested in Bangkok last month. The Minister said the
syndicate likely has a presence in Canada as well.
The Conservatives’ long-term solution is Bill C-49, a proposed law
that would allow officials to detain smuggled migrants for one year and
bar them from applying for permanent residence or sponsoring family
members for five years.
Courtesy: The National Post |