Habaraduwa police has arrested 45 Sri Lankans for allegedly attempting to leave for Australia.
Police said that the suspects were arrested when they were staying in a hotel in Unawatuna planning to leave on a boat for Australia.
Australia recently sent back 183 Sri Lankan nationals who had been seeking asylum.
“It takes around 21 days to reach Australia from Sri Lanka. We will stop any maritime people smuggling vessels seeking to reach Australia, and safely return those on board to their point of departure or country of origin, or if required, transfer them to a regional processing country,” Australian official said. (NewsWire)
Statement from SL Navy
45 would-be illegal immigrants held in Habaraduwa
During a coordinated search operation carried out by the Navy and Police in the beach area of Habaraduwa, Galle today (23rd October 2022) 45 would-be illegal immigrants were apprehended, whilst they were remaining in a lodge in the area.
Sri Lanka Navy has been conducting regular search operations and patrols covering the sea and coastal areas around the island with the aim of suppressing illegal activities. As an extension of these efforts, SLNS Dakshina in the Southern Naval Command with the assistance of Habaraduwa Police had apprehended this group of would-be illegal immigrants, after searching a lodge in the area. It is suspected that they were awaiting at the lodge, until the arrival of a boat to illegally migrate from the country. Among the apprehended persons were 35 males and 07 females above 18 years of age and 03 individuals below 18 years of age.
Meanwhile, a bus used to transport this group of people were also seized in this search operation.
The suspects held in the operation were identified as residents of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar, Vennappuwa and Puttalam areas. The suspects along with the bus were handed over to the Habaraduwa Police for onward legal proceedings.
For the purpose of making fast money, smugglers cheat the innocent and organize this kind of unethical enterprise using unsafe craft. As such, Navy urges the public to refrain from risking their lives by engaging in perilous sea voyages and be victims before the law.
