Police arrest asylum seeking Lankans

Chaminda PERERA

Warning from Police

Police yesterday requested the public not to be deceived by human smugglers and not to try to leave the country illegally. The Police and the Security Forces have implemented a special mechanism to foil such attempts.

Police yesterday busted a massive human smuggling racket with the arrest of 113 persons who were about to set sail for Australia from locations in Negombo and Galle Face. The group preparing to depart to Australia as asylum seekers along with their agents, were nabbed by the Colombo Fraud Bureau when they were about to be taken to an unknown place in Negombo.

Seven vans and a lorry kept ready to take these persons to the boats were also taken into police custody.

Investigations revealed that the job agents had obtained Rs 31.6 million from these persons from Negombo and Chilaw promising safe passage to Australia.

The main suspect is said to have taken over Rs 30 million is a resident of Chilaw, police said.