Colombo, July 24: Sri Lankan authorities today arrested 175 would-be illegal immigrants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as part of its drive to block the island from being used as a hub for human smuggling. A police spokesman said the men arrested this morning from the beach resort of Mount Lavinia, just south of Colombo were being questioned to establish their identities and nationalties as most of them did not have valid travel documents. However, it is believed that they entered Sri Lanka legally because the country grants visa on arrival to nationals from South Asian countries, a concession which was earlier available to those from developed nations.

The latest information showed that those arrested today included 86 Indians, 75 Pakistanis and 14 Bangladeshis.

Two Sri Lankans were also arrested.

The latest arrest came four days after a similar detection of nine Bangladeshis, 83 Indians and 22 Pakistanis from the central town of Kandy.

The arrests raised to 661 the number of Bangladeshis, Indian and Pakistanis arrested in Sri Lanka this month in connection with people-smuggling attempts.
Six days ago police took into custody 112 Indians and six Pakistanis who had arrived on the island to travel. Bureau Report