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Sri Lanka arrests over 200 would-be illegal immigrants
Colombo, July 01: In their biggest ever crackdown on people smuggling, Sri Lankan Navy today detained a cargo ship that was trying to illegally ferry more than 200 people, mostly Pakistanis, to Europe.
Colombo, July 01: In their biggest ever crackdown on
people smuggling, Sri Lankan Navy today detained a cargo ship
that was trying to illegally ferry more than 200 people,
mostly Pakistanis, to Europe.
Sri Lankan sailors boarded a 70-meter-long ship just off
the island's southern coast and arrested 154 people on board
while another trawler was seized with 29 people who were
trying to get into a larger vessel.
Police said another 20 would-be illegal immigrants were
arrested on the shore at Kudawella, 200 kilometres south of
Colombo in the coordinated land and sea operation carried out
by the Navy and the police.
Police and naval authorities believe that most of the
people arrested are of Pakistani origin. However, it is
difficult to establish their identities because they had no
travel documents with them.
Last month, police arrested 12 Bangladeshi men who were allegedly trying to board a fishing boat that was to illegally take them to Italy. The arrests were made in the capital Colombo.
With Sri Lanka allowing nationals of SAARC countries to enter the island with visa on arrival, there had been a flood of people from the region trying to use Sri Lanka as a transit point to illegally enter Europe. The fees for ferrying people to Europe or Australia range from 150,000 to 300,000 rupees (1,550 to 3,125 dollar) for a one-way trip aboard a trawler.
Bureau Report
Last month, police arrested 12 Bangladeshi men who were allegedly trying to board a fishing boat that was to illegally take them to Italy. The arrests were made in the capital Colombo.
With Sri Lanka allowing nationals of SAARC countries to enter the island with visa on arrival, there had been a flood of people from the region trying to use Sri Lanka as a transit point to illegally enter Europe. The fees for ferrying people to Europe or Australia range from 150,000 to 300,000 rupees (1,550 to 3,125 dollar) for a one-way trip aboard a trawler.
Bureau Report