Four Sri Lankan air passengers returning from New Delhi, India, after attempting to obtain visas to travel to Poland, were arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport.
Immigration officials reported that the passengers were taken into custody on Tuesday (06 Jan) on suspicion of having forged visa documents.
Among those arrested were a 22‑year‑old married couple from Negombo, a 28‑year‑old resident of Wellampitiya in Colombo, and a 45‑year‑old resident of Karavetti in Jaffna.
It was revealed that the group had paid Rs. 6.4 million to agents to secure visas legally for Poland, and had even visited the Polish Embassy in New Delhi to provide fingerprints.
They later arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport at 6:00 am yesterday onboard a SriLankan Airlines flight from New Delhi.
Suspicion arose over the visas they presented during immigration clearance, and the documents were referred to the Border Surveillance Unit of the Immigration Department. Technical examinations confirmed the visas were forged.
Investigations further revealed that the passengers had no prior knowledge that the visas were fake and had been prepared to pay an additional large sum upon arrival in Sri Lanka.
The Immigration Department stated that further inquiries are being conducted regarding the arrested individuals. (Newswire)