Navy nabs boatload of illegal immigrants

Sandasen MARASINGHE and Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Navy arrested 53 illegal immigrants on Tuesday while attempting to flee to Australia. Of them, 47 were Sri Lankans and the other two Indians. The other four were the crew of the trawler. Police said the Navy arrested the immigrants in the seas 60 miles off Hambantota in a trawler.

The residents from Udappuwa, Chilaw and Trincomalee were attempting to migrate to Australia illegally. They were handed over to the CID. The Hambantota magistrate court ordered them be remanded until June 20. Another group of 11 persons were arrested by Puttalam Police on Monday ready to migrate illegally to Australia.

Police said of the suspects arrested, nine were from Batticaloa while the other two were from Mullaitivu. Another group of 113 were also arrested recently while attempting to migrate illegally.