Navy intercepts another group of Aussie-bound illegal immigrants

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Navy intercepted another 53 persons illegally bound for Australia in a multi-day trawler on Tuesday. The trawler named “Sinhale 4” was intercepted by a Fast Naval Patrol Craft attached to the Eastern Naval Command 16 nautical miles off Pigeon Island in Trincomalee.

Among the arrested persons are 49 Tamils, three Muslims and a Sinhalese that included 42 males, three women and eight children. They are residents of Jaffna, Vavuniya, and Trincomalee.

They were escorted to Trincomale Harbour to be handed over to the CID for further investigations.

Meanwhile, Naval troops attached to the Naval Deployment Mullaithivu of the Eastern Naval Command recovered an arms haul while they were engaged in a clearing operation at Mullaithivu.

According to the Navy Media Unit the naval troops have recovered six Claymore bombs, 16 60mm Mortar Bombs, two 60mm Mortar Illuminating Para, seven 60 mm Mortar Fuse, five SFG Hand Grenades, 10 82/2 Hand Grenades, one K 400 Hand Grenades, three M 73 Hand Grenades, 17 HE P2.A1 Hand Grenades, six T56 Weapon Bolt Carrier, three T56 Weapon Gas Tube, six T56 Weapon Magazine, 18 Electrical Detonators, 3300 7.62 x 30mm Ammo and 880 7.62 x 54mm Ammo.