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| Sunday, 27 July 2003 |
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Police identify human smuggling kingpins by S.Selvakumar and Jayampathy Jayasinghe Police investigating the racket in the smuggling of people to Italy and other European destinations have identified the local kingpins and passed on all information regarding them to the Katunayake Airport to prevent them from escaping. Police believe that some Greek nationals are also involved in the racket along with the local kingpins. It is suspected that a mafia organisation operating in international waters is also helping the racketeers in the smuggling of people out of Sri Lanka. All information gathered so far has been intimated to Interpol, police said. Investigations revealed that sums of money ranging from Rs. 3 lakhs to a Rs. one million are charged from each person for a safe journey to Italy or any other European destination. It has also been revealed that the journey from Sri Lankan shores to European destination takes between 30 and 40 days, and any confrontation with State authorities on the high seas are settled by the Mafia gang operating in international waters and overcome by bribing the officials concerned. In a bid to arrest people waiting to be smuggled to Europe, Police headquarters have ordered all police stations to regularly survey guest houses, hotels and other 'suspected' abodes. Meanwhile, police have foiled attempts by over 1200 persons including Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans to sail to Western countries from the Sri Lankan shores from January to July this year. Last month alone, 546 persons, mostly foreigners were arrested by the police while attempting to sail to Italy, Greece, and other Western countries illegally, CID Superintendent of Police D.S.Y. Samaratunga said. |
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