SLCG arrests 45 Australia bound people

Ridma Dissanayake

Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) arrested 45 persons illegally bound for Australia on board a multi- day fishing trawler at the Beruwala Fisheries Harbour on Thursday night. According to SLCG Media Spokesman Lt Commander Chandana Bulegoda Arachchi, there were 35 men,eight women and two children among the arrested persons.

“They had left from Wennapuwa in two different fishing boats and later boarded a multi- day fishing trawler at mid sea.

They spent 14 daysat sea. Bad weather conditions prevented them from proceeding any further and they were arrested by the SLCG when they returned to the Beruwela Fisheries Harbour,” Lt Commander Bulegoda Arachchi said.

They were handed over to the Beruwala Police for further investigations.

This is the third such arrest made by the Sri Lanka Coastguard, he said.