Colombo, July 03: Sri Lankan authorities have foiled a major people smuggling racket with the arrest of 254 Pakistani men and five Lankans who tried to illegally leave the island and head for Europe. A Sri Lankan Magistrate remanded all 259 men in custody late last night, police said today.

The authorities initially thought they had arrested 256 Pakistan men and three Sri Lankans two days ago. The Lankans helped the Pakistanis to board a foreign-owned cargo ship that was to take them illegally to Italy, police said.
However, investigations showed that the number of Pakistanis was 254 and there were five Sri Lankans directly involved in the smuggling operation. Police were investigating the involvement of some local officials too.

The magistrate in Tangalle, 200 kilometres south of here, remanded the men after recording the statements of eight of them with the help of a Pakistan High Commission official.

"The questioning process is slow because none of the suspects can speak English and the high commission has been able to give us only one interpreter," a police official said.

The cargo ship identified, as the m v invincible, was escorted by the navy and anchored near the southern port of Galle last night after the navy after police seized it with the would-be illegal immigrants.
The authorities believed the crew was Russian and Georgian. They are currently being questioned.

Bureau Report