More illegal migrants nabbed

The Navy intercepted 69 persons illegally bound for Australia in a multi-day trawler in the early hours of yesterday. The trawler named Asha Duwa was intercepted by a Fast Naval Patrol Craft attached to the Western Naval Command in the seas off Negombo. Among the arrested persons were 48 Tamils, 19 Sinhalese and two Muslims.

They are residents of Negombo, Pulmudai, Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna, Vishvamadu and Batticaloa.

They were handed over to the CID for further investigations.

Meanwhile, the Navy arrested another 83 persons bound for Australia in multi-day trawlers on Monday. A trawler named Kavindi with 39 persons including 31 Tamils and eight Sinhalese on board and another named Prasansani with 44 persons including 35 Tamils, six Sinhalese and three Muslims on board were intercepted 15 nautical miles off Trincomalee by a Fast Naval Patrol Craft attached to the Eastern Naval Command. Sixty nine men, two women, a girl and three boys were taken into custody by the Navy.

(RD)