Navy thwarts human smuggling bid

by Norman Palihawadane

The Navy yesterday morning nabbed 51 persons in the eastern seas while they were attempting to migrate to Australia, illegally.The Navy said a search operation in the eastern seas, on Sunday morning, had led to the interception of a local multi-day fishing trawler, carrying 51 persons, to a foreign country.The Navy conducts regular operations covering the sea and coastal areas around the country to prevent illegal activities including human smuggling. In the search operation mounted in the seas off Trincomalee yesterday morning, the Eastern Naval Command managed to intercept a suspicious local multi-day fishing trawler carrying this group of people. Among those taken into custody were 41 men including six smugglers, five women and five children.

The suspects are residents of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Gampaha and Ratnapura, who are from five to 56 years of age. They were handed over to the Trincomalee Harbour Police for onward legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, a coordinated operation mounted by the Navy, Sri Lanka Coast Guard and Police in Marawila on Saturday (2) led to the apprehension of 24 persons suspected to be illegal immigrants. They were apprehended while staying at a lodge in the locality, awaiting to migrate from the island by sea. The group consisted of eight males, six females and 10 children. Further, the raiding party also nabbed the lodgekeeper who provided accommodation for the group. The suspects whose ages range from three months to 50 years are residents of Batticaloa, Valaichchenai and Chilaw areas. They were handed over to the Marawila Police for onward legal action.