Illegal migration attempts: Navy nabs 44

The Navy apprehended 44 persons who were suspected of trying to leave the country illegally via sea routes, on Sunday (28).

They were nabbed during a special search operation conducted by the Navy off Trincomalee, and along the beach area of Valaithottam, Batticaloa.

A special search operation was conducted by the Eastern Naval Command off Trincomalee on Sunday night, with the help of the Fast Attack Craft P 465 and P 4443 of the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla (4 FAF) attached to the Command.

In this operation, P 465 intercepted a suspicious local multiday fishing trawler off Trincomalee, and arrested 29 individuals who were suspected of trying to leave the country illegally. Among the apprehended persons were 25 males, two females (over 18 years of age), and two teenagers. The suspects along with the multiday fishing trawler were taken into naval custody.

In another search operation, mounted by SLNS Walagamba in the Eastern Naval Command         at Kuchchaveli beach, on the same night, led to the apprehension of two suspects and a dinghy. The suspects who are residents of Kuchchaveli are believed to have transferred people from the shore to the fishing trawler, which was intercepted by P 465.

P 4443, engaged in this operation off Trincomalee searched a similar local multiday fishing trawler and nabbed five males, over 18 years of age. They were taken into naval custody.

A search operation carried out in the Valaithottam beach area on Sunday night, by SLNS Lankapatuna, in the Eastern Naval Command led to the apprehension of 10 males, over 18 years.

The suspects held in these operations were identified as residents of Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Puttalam, Hambantota, Valaichchenai, Kalmunai, Akkaraipattu and Kuchchaveli.

The 34 individuals held by P 465 and P 4443 and the two suspects held by SLNS Walagamba will be handed over to the Trincomalee Harbour Police and Kuchchaveli Police, respectively, for legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, the 10 persons held by SLNS Lankapatuna were handed over to the Eechchalampattu Police, in Batticaloa, for legal action.