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| Sunday, 20 July 2003 |
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by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE Despite successful raids to curb the flow of illicit immigrants to western countries, a large number of persons from SAARC countries continue to arrive in Sri Lanka with the idea of migrating to western countries illegally with the help of local smugglers who have links with international human smuggling rings. In a pre-dawn raid conducted on three hotels at Kirinda and in Tissamaharama areas on Thursday 112 Indians and 6 Pakistani nationals and three hotel managers were arrested by a team of CID officers. The suspects will be produced before the Tissamaharama Magistrate after their statements are recorded, the Superintendent of Police (CID) D.S.Y. Samaratunga said. Although the suspects had arrived in Sri Lanka with valid passports the CID sleuths are checking the authenticity of these passports in light of 10,000 genuine passports being stolen or missing from Pakistani nationals. Off the 112 Indian nationals, 12 persons had valid visa documents. The crew of a ship that has to take the Pakistani and Indian nationals to an unknown destination are being questioned by the CID officers. Meanwhile, several police teams have been detailed for the arrest of a Sri Lankan woman and her Pakistani companion wanted in connection with the human smuggling racket where 254 Pakistani nationals and four crew members of a Russian ship were arrested recently. Several police teams have been despatched to various parts of the country to arrest other local facilitators involved in the racket. The local network has been identified and all the suspects had fled from their homes and gone into hiding, police said. The Interpol Headquarters have also been alerted of the ring of Pakistani nationals involved in the cross-boarder human smuggling operations along with Sri Lankans. Most of them are smuggled to Western countries. Meanwhile the Captain of the Russian ship "Invincible " along with the three Georgian crew members have been placed under the custody of the Harbour Master and detained by the southern naval command on a court order. Mr. Samaratunga said that they are awaiting instructions from the Attorney Generals Department with regard to the status of the 254 Pakistani Nationals and Sri Lankans who made an unsuccessful attempt to sail to Italy illegally. All Pakistanis except one had arrived in Sri Lanka with valid passports. The Pakistani national who did not possess a pass port had told police that he had dropped it while climbing the ships gangway. The Pakistani nationals have told investigators that they have paid the smugglers sums ranging from Rs. 300,000 to 400,000 to smuggle them across to Greece. A large number of persons from SARRC countries arrive in Sri Lanka due to liberalisation of visa procedures and many of them attempt to travel to western nations by boat illegally. In a bid to discourage human smuggling the Italian government had even offered 1,000 lawful jobs to Sri Lankans according to the Italian Ambassador in Sri Lanka. Recently A Sri Lankan suspect involved in human smuggling operation was arrested from a house in Wellampitiya along with 21 Pakistanis who were bound to Italy. |
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