About 4,833 illegal immigrants nabbed since January

Sandasen Marasinghe and Disna Mudalige

Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday stated that 4,833 persons who attempted to leave the country without visa have been nabbed since January 2013. He made this observation in Parliament yesterday.

He said 88 errant dealers and their trawlers were also taken into custody. He said the suspects were produced before court and some of them were remanded and some were granted bail.

The minister made these observations in response to a question raised by UNP MP Anoma Gamage.

Minister Gunawardena said the governments of Sri Lanka and Australia are in discussions to arrest the situation.