Navy, STF arrest more would-be asylum seekers

by Norman Palihawadane

The Navy on Sunday (10) night apprehended 61 persons who were attempting to leave the country illegally. They were taken into custody in the seas off Batticaloa.

Among the suspects were 43 males, including six human smugglers, seven females and 11 children. The Navy also held the local multi-day fishing trawler used for human smuggling operation.

Twenty one (21) of those people apprehended by the Navy off Batticaloa were brought to Trincomalee Harbour by an SLN Fast Attack Craft yesterday morning.

The other 40 persons along with the fishing trawler were brought to Trincomalee Harbour. They would be handed over to the Trincomalee Harbour Police for further investigation and legal action, the Navy headquarters said.

The Navy and the STF based at Kalawanchikudi mounted another search operation in the beach area of Kaluwankeni, Batticaloa on Sunday night. The coordinated operation led to the arrest of 17 individuals waiting on the beach to leave the country in the above-mentioned fishing craft. They comprised16 males and a woman. The raiding party also took into custody a van used by the human smugglers.

 The individuals held in Kaluwankeni were identified as residents of Jaffna, Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Kurunegala. They along with the van were handed over to the Eravur Police for legal action.