Sri Lanka officially launched its National Strategic Action Plan to monitor and combat human trafficking (2026–2030) at an event in Colombo, attended by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. 

The five-year plan, unveiled under the leadership of the Ministry of Defence with technical support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), establishes a unified national framework to prevent trafficking, protect and assist victims, strengthen law enforcement, and enhance accountability.

Addressing the event, the PM Amrasuriya reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening national efforts to prevent and address human trafficking, stating that the Action Plan must transcend its symbolic launch into concrete, coordinated, and sustained implementation.  

The Prime Minister also noted that the launch of the National Strategic Action Plan is timely, as it operationalizes the four internationally recognized pillars of the anti-trafficking framework, namely prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership.

“Caring for trafficking survivors in Sri Lanka requires a holistic, gender-sensitive, and survivor-centred approach that addresses both immediate protection and long-term recovery.  This includes safe shelter, medical care, and trauma-informed psychological support, with particular attention to women and girls who experience more severe and gendered forms of violence, alongside legal assistance, economic empowerment, and skills development to prevent re-trafficking.

“Human trafficking is a structural and social challenge that requires sustained, multi-sectoral action. Ministries and government agencies must embed anti-trafficking priorities into their core strategies and day-to-day operations, ensuring institutional integration and professional accountability,” she added. (Newswire)

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The National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF) has issued an urgent warning over a new wave of human trafficking activities targeting Sri Lankans, particularly linked to cyber scam centres in Southeast Asia.

Intelligence suggests these networks aim to lure and transport more than 50,000 individuals to scam compounds, with Sri Lankans among the primary targets.

Five new scam centres are reportedly being set up in remote areas, using fraudulent job offers and misleading online advertisements to attract job seekers. The NAHTTF said several Sri Lankans have been trafficked to these locations in recent weeks, some after being recruited while working in Dubai, and others directly from Sri Lanka through fake social media job postings.

According to the NAHTTF, organized trafficking syndicates operating in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos are carrying out large-scale recruitment drives without effective government oversight. 

According to the NAHTTF, rescued victims have described harrowing abuse, including torture and electric shocks, raising serious concerns for the safety of those still trapped.

The NAHTTF urged the public to remain extremely vigilant when responding to job offers in Southeast Asia and to use official channels, including registration with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), before travelling abroad for work. Families and communities are also encouraged to report any suspicious recruitment activities to local authorities. (Newswire)

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Several Sri Lankans who were stranded in Myanmar, Russia, Dubai, and Oman due to having fallen victim to human trafficking have been rescued, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya said.

The State Minister said as a result of negotiations with Myanmar and Thailand, the Foreign Ministry has secured the release of 28 of the 55 Sri Lankans imprisoned in Myanmar for cyber crimes. 

“We are continuing efforts to secure the release of the remaining individuals as swiftly as possible,” he said. 

State Minister Balasuriya further said that the Ministry has facilitated the return of approximately 70 retired war heroes who joined the Russian army. “We have ensured they receive the benefits to which they are entitled” he added.

He also revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had worked to repatriate Sri Lankans who, having travelled to countries such as Dubai and Oman on tourist visas, found themselves in distressing situations.

“Effective foreign policy is crucial for these activities, and having a competent team is essential. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has ensured that our Ministry can engage this team in Foreign Service free from political influence, allowing us to fully leverage the country’s foreign policy,” the State Minister added. 

State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya made these remarks during a press conference held at the Presidential Media Centre on Wednesday. (Newswire)

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Thirty-four (34) Sri Lankans who have been victims of human trafficking remain to be rescued from Myanmar, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya said.

The minister revealed this during a media briefing held today on the recent release of 20 Sri Lankans from illegal camps in Myanmar, who are currently in Thailand.

“The rescued students are in good health condition, although they will have to be sent for counselling,” Balasuriya said, adding that he has spoken to them over a video call.

Sri Lankan authorities are working to repatriate this group to Sri Lanka as soon as possible, he said. 

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand Wijayanthi Edirisinghe said they will be screened first by Thai authorities and are currently under the care of immigration authorities of the country.

The group of Sri Lankans are expected to go through a stringent process involving the Thai Immigration, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she said.

The Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand said that the time frame for this process is not clear yet, adding that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is assisting Sri Lanka in this regard. (Newswire)

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A Sri Lankan delegation is hoping to visit Russia in June to discuss the issue of Sri Lankan military personnel involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya said on Thursday. 

Addressing the media today, State Minister Balasuriya said the Sri Lankan delegation will travel to Russia between June 5-7.

“A meeting is scheduled for this evening to discuss the visit to Russia. The Russian ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan is working to secure appointments with the relevant Russian authorities during this visit,” he revealed. 

Stating that 455 complaints have been received on the Defence Ministry’s hotline, he said 16 Sri Lankans are reported missing and the Sri Lankan authorities have been successful in repatriating 26 people so far.

State Minister Balasuriya said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working hard to ensure the safe repatriation of Sri Lankans whatever their circumstances may be. 

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry yesterday announced that Russia will now require Sri Lanka Defence Ministry clearance for visit visas of ex-servicemen.

In a post on ‘X’, Minister Sabry said a constructive meeting had taken place with the Russian Ambassador in Colombo, Levan S. Dzhagaryan focussing on addressing the urgent situation of Sri Lankans being deployed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The government is currently involved in uncovering human trafficking rackets in Sri Lanka through which several war veterans had been sent to Russia to fight in mercenary groups in the conflict against Ukraine.

Several retired Army personnel have been arrested in the recent past for their involvement in sending Sri Lankans to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war promising several benefits. (Newswire)

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Russia will now require Sri Lanka Defence Ministry clearance for visit visas of ex-servicemen, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry announced.

In a post on ‘X’, Minister Sabry said a constructive meeting had taken place with the Russian Ambassador in Colombo, Levan S. Dzhagaryan today. 

The Foreign Minister said the discussion focused on addressing the urgent situation of Sri Lankans being deployed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

During the discussion, it was agreed to take immediate steps to resolve these issues. 

“Russia will now require Sri Lanka Defence Ministry clearance for visit visas of ex-servicemen. The upcoming visit by the State Minister of Foreign Affairs to Russia will enable further discussions to find a solution to this matter,” he said. 

The government is currently involved in uncovering human trafficking rackets in Sri Lanka through which several war veterans had been sent to Russia to fight in mercenary groups in the conflict against Ukraine.

Several retired Army personnel have been arrested in the recent past for their involvement in sending Sri Lankans to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war promising several benefits.

The Defence Ministry recently confirmed that 16 Sri Lankans had died fighting in the Russia- Ukraine war, while nearly 600 Sri Lankans had been trafficked to Russia and are currently fighting in the war. (Newswire) 

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An individual has been arrested on suspicion of sending 120 Sri Lankans to Russia via tourist visa, it was reported. 

The suspect was arrested from the Dehiwala area by officials from the Human Trafficking and Maritime Crime Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID). 

Investigations have revealed that the suspect had assisted people to travel to Russia on tourist visas while staying in front of the Russian Embassy.

The suspect has currently been detained for questioning, while he is scheduled to be produced in court tomorrow (May 21). 

The Human Trafficking and Maritime Crime Investigation Division of the CID is conducting further investigations into the arrest.

Several individuals, including former Army officials, have been arrested so far in connection to the human trafficking racket where several war veterans had been sent to Russia for employment and had instead, been deployed to fight in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The government recently confirmed that 16 Sri Lankans had been killed while fighting in the conflict, and several more are currently fighting for Russian mercenary groups. (Newswire)

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Several more suspects have been arrested in connection with sending Sri Lankan citizens and retired war veterans to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.

A retired Army Soldier was arrested in Monaragala yesterday for his alleged involvement in the human trafficking scheme to deploy Sri Lankans in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The Dambagalla Police had arrested the suspect on Thursday and handed him over to the Monaragala Police. The suspect is to be produced before the Monaragala Magistrate’s Court today.

The suspect was arrested following information from a group of Sri Lankans who had been scammed by the individual. 

The group of Sri Lankan war veterans had returned to the island, after failing to enter Russia and had visited the suspect’s residence, after the latter had taken money in the promise of employment. 

Meanwhile, two persons who had operated a foreign employment agency in Nugegoda and had reportedly sent Sri Lankans to Russia have been arrested.

The owner and the manager of the foreign employment agency were arrested by officials from the Special Investigations Unit of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).

The two suspects were remanded until May 30 after being produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court.

The agency is reported to have received Rs.1.5 million per person and had sent them to Russia via tourist visas to be employed in the Russian Military. 

Furthermore, five suspects, including a retired Major general, who were previously arrested in connection to the human trafficking racket have been further remanded until May 30 by the Negombo Magistrate’s Court. 

The Sri Lankan government has also taken necessary measures to address the issue, with President Ranil Wickremesinghe directing the dispatch of a special delegation to Russia to explore the possibility of repatriating Sri Lankans who were trafficked to the country.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya disclosed this week that the government is currently attempting to verify the exact number of Sri Lankans who are in Russia and were reportedly fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The State Minister said that unofficial reports indicate that a number between 600 to 800 Sri Lankans are currently in Russia, while close to 16 Sri Lankans have died fighting in the conflict. (Newswire)

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The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with SriLankan Airlines conducted a programme recently for the trainers of the Airline on responding to human trafficking.

Issuing a statement, IOM Sri Lanka said aviation is the most frequent and quickest way to transport victims of human trafficking across borders. To combat this heinous crime, it’s crucial for airlines and law enforcement agencies to collaborate, implement efficient measures and train staff to recognize signs of human trafficking, and raise awareness among the stakeholders as they play an important role in effectively identifying, preventing, and responding to human trafficking.

International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Defence (as the Chair of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force – Sri Lanka) in collaboration with SriLankan Airlines, recently conducted a programme for the trainers of SriLankan Airlines on human trafficking with a special focus on the role and responsibilities of Airlines in identifying, reporting, and effectively responding to incidents of trafficking.

The participants were capacitated with the knowledge, analytical methods and resources that can be utilized to effectively identify victims of human trafficking and report such incidents. They also shared valuable insights and interesting encounters of successful identification of victims of trafficking.

“The aviation industry is in a unique position to identify and report trafficking cases if airline staff are sufficiently equipped with the required skills. Strengthening counter-trafficking measures in Sri Lanka and creating a unified front against trafficking are vital to combat the issue and we are happy to have played a pivotal role in providing technical support to the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence, and the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force since 2010” stated Sarat Dash, IOM Chief of Mission for Sri Lanka. 

The training covered prevention aspects, the effective identification and reporting of potential trafficking incidents and the protection of victims. The sessions were delivered by thematic experts from the Ministry of Defence, IOM, and the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA).

The training also incorporated the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) – Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Guidelines for Training Cabin Crew on Identifying and Responding to Trafficking in Persons (ICAO Circular 352) and Guidelines for Reporting Trafficking in Persons by Flight and Cabin Crew (ICAO Circular 357). (Newswire)

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The landscape of human trafficking is evolving, transforming into a ruthless business that preys on the vulnerable and exploits their desperation, Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne said.

According to the Defence Ministry, General Kamal Gunaratne pointed out that this dark reality presents a complex challenge that threatens not just individual lives but our national security as well.

He made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at the opening session of the Awareness Workshop organized for the Divisional Secretaries on Human Trafficking in Colombo on Monday (Aug 14). 

The three-day workshop is organized by the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (NAHTTF) in collaboration with the Safe Foundation under “Empowering Civil Society Organizations to Combat Human Trafficking”, a project funded by the USAID. 

This workshop is held under the supervision of the Defence Secretary, with the purview of the Chief of National Intelligence Major General Ruwan Kulathunga, while 36 Divisional Secretaries and Assistant Divisional Secretaries are attending the programme. 

“Recognizing the gravity of this threat, we have formulated the National Strategic Action Plan to monitor and combat human trafficking for the years 2021-2025,‟ the Defence Secretary stated, adding “Our approach is based on four pillars; Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and Partnership”. 

Highlighting the gaining ground over collective effort, he went on to emphasize the necessity of coordination between governmental and non-governmental organizations, which is crucial for a holistic response to human trafficking. 

“At present, we collaborate with twenty stakeholders under the NAHTTF, demonstrating the power of unity in our fight against this crime”, he added. 

On this note, focusing on the importance of the Divisional Secretaries role that stands as a cornerstone, he remarked that this multi-disciplinary collaboration will enable them to actively contribute to the NAHTTF’s endeavours. 

“The upgrading to “Tier-2” from “Tier-2 Watch List” in the Trafficking in Persons Report submitted annually to the US Department of State showcases our progress,” he reasoned while explaining the positive outcomes of this collective effort. 

Revealingly future plans that are afoot to work with inter-governmental institutions, he said it will see connecting field development officers with the task force and further aim to incorporate awareness of Human Trafficking into the education system. 

In his closing remarks, he said human trafficking is a crime against humanity, and affirmed, “We, as the NAHTTF of Sri Lanka, are determined to fight against it with all our might.” 

Senior officials of Safe Foundation, Attorney General’s Department, Immigration and Emigration Department, Human Trafficking, Smuggling, Maritime Crimes Investigation Division, Institute of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Bureau for the Prevention of Abuse of Children and Women, National Child Protection Authority, Department of Labour, National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses, SLBFE, IOM, ILO and legal officers representing the Defence Ministry are contributing as resource personnel at the three-day long workshop. (NewsWire)

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Officials of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) have been placed on high alert to detect Sri Lankans attempting to travel overseas using forged documents.

According to the Sunday Observer, Immigration Controller Harsha Ilukpitiya revealed at least seven people have been taken in for questioning by Immigration Border Service Agents deployed undercover at the BIA last week.

Ilukpitiya said that all those apprehended were found with doctored foreign visas and passports, recruited by human traffickers in return for large fees.

Stating that several of those apprehended are from the Northern Province, Ilukpitiya said there is a larger human trafficking operation underway in the North with many victims paying as much as Rs. 5 million each to the smugglers. 

He further revealed that many are opting to travel to Europe and have now sought the aerial route due to high surveillance of the Navy and Coast Guard.

Ilukpitiya also pointed out that several Sri Lankans have also opted to travel to Europe by sea after initially travelling to South East Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia.

He added that well-trained Immigration Border Security personnel have been placed on high alert at the airport to apprehend those travelling overseas using illegal means. (NewsWire)

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Six Sri Lankans, who were victims of human trafficking and were stranded in Myanmar, have been rescued by the Myanmar authorities and handed over to the Sri Lanka Embassy in Yangon for repatriation to Sri Lanka.

According to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Yangon, the six Sri Lankans were identified as victims of an organized trafficking ring operating in Southeast Asian countries. 

They were successfully repatriated to Colombo via Bangkok by a SriLankan Airlines flight on Thursday (May 25) following representations made by the Government of Sri Lanka to Myanmar authorities. 

Under instructions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Janaka Bandara and the officials of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Yangon coordinated the rescue process and repatriation of the victims to Sri Lanka. 

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Eden Myanmar Foundation facilitated and extended assistance in the repatriation. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lankan authorities have busted a human smuggling racket involving the Colombo Ports following the arrest of four youths who had secretly boarded a Panama-flagged vessel that had docked in Sri Lanka recently.

Investigations have revealed that three of the youths who are from the North had been instructed to meet another youth at a store in Hetti Veediya in Colombo.

One of the youth is said to have been brought to Colombo by another individual who had promised to obtain jobs in Singapore.

Investigations have revealed that the youth had obtained passes to enter the Colombo Fort via the Engineering Department of the Colombo Ports Authority. 

The group is reported to have entered the Colombo Port via the Wimaladharma Entrance at 01.00 am on 24th March 2023. They had thereafter been taken in a car and dropped near the second gate of the Ports and instructed to gain entry and walk past the gate. 

Once having crossed the gate, they had been picked up by the car again and dropped off at the foot of the Panama-flagged cargo vessel. The youths had thereafter entered the vessel and hidden inside a container. 

As the vessel had departed Colombo Port on 4th April, the youths had ventured outside of the container a few days later and met the Captain of the ship informing him that they intended to get off at the Suez Canal Port and travel to America as they cannot find jobs in Sri Lanka.

The Captain of the ship is reported to have handed them over to another vessel which had brought the group to the Galle Habour and handed them over to the local authorities.

Investigations have revealed that the individual who had dropped off the youths at the Colombo Ports gate is said to have obtained Rs. 100,000 each from two youths, Rs. 80,000 from one youth, and Rs. 50,000 from another youth. 

The youths have been remanded until 18th April 2023 after being produced before the Galle Magistrate’s Court. 

The Police are conducting investigations to apprehend the chief suspect involved in this human trafficking racket. (NewsWire)

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