Twenty two people including residents from the North were arrested in Tangalle when they were about to board a fishing trawler to illegally migrate to Australia, a senior Police officer said.
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| Rekewa: The spot from where they were to board a fishing trawler. Pix by Krishan Jayaruk |
The group, including people from Jaffna, Chilaw and Colombo were arrested from a house of an ex-soldier close to the beach. They were awaiting a smaller boat to take them to board the trawler mid-sea.
The Criminal Investigations Department and the Navy were involved in the arrest of the persons.
The police officer said that the would-be migrants had assembled in the house during the past two weeks in preparation for their journey.
Navy Spokesman Commodore Kosala Warnakulasuriya told the Sunday Times that a search operation has been launched to track down the fishing trawler.
The suspects are being questioned in Tangalle by the Police. |
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