Sri Lanka is to step up screening procedures of foreigners and locals travelling to Singapore via Bandaranaike International Airport, following revelations that Colombo was being used as a hub for smuggling human cargo. The issue was a subject discussed by the Defence Ministry, Immigration officials, Airport Aviation Authority and SriLankan Airlines officials on Friday. The [...]

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BIA targets Singapore-bound passengers to deter human smuggling

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Sri Lanka is to step up screening procedures of foreigners and locals travelling to Singapore via Bandaranaike International Airport, following revelations that Colombo was being used as a hub for smuggling human cargo.

The issue was a subject discussed by the Defence Ministry, Immigration officials, Airport Aviation Authority and SriLankan Airlines officials on Friday.

The move came as a report submitted at the discussion showed that at least six persons who enter Singapore via Colombo were being deported.

Defence Secretary Karunsena Hettiaarachchi told the Sunday Times that measures were discussed as detections of smuggled persons were creating a bad image of the country, as well as incurring losses for the national airline, as they were compelled fly the deportees back, when Singaporean authorities refused to issue them with on-arrival visas.

Mr. Hettiarachchi said that, among the foreign nationals detected and deported were Bangladeshis, Indians and Pakistanis.

He said, on a directive from President Maithripala Sirisena, steps have been taken with the help of the Immigration Dept and the Airport and Aviation Authority officials to step up the screening process and administration.

Immigration Controller M.N. Ranasinghe said they will be upgrading their database to deter persons from using Colombo for human smuggling.

SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ajith Dias also submitted an audit report on the impact on the airline due to the racket.

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