32 persons who attempted to illegally migrate to Australia arrested

Naval personnel attached to the North -Western Naval Command in collaboration with the Arachchikattuwa Police arrested 32 people who had attempted to illegally migrate to Australia in a trawler on Thursday, the Navy said.

They said upon detecting a suspicious boat movement by the Navy in the seas five nautical miles off the Naguleliya coast, they had deployed an Inshore Patrol Craft to intercept the suspicious trawler. During the raid, they had apprehended the suspects onboard along with the trawler.

The suspects have been identified as residents of the Udappuwa, Mannar and Jaffna area.

The suspects and the boat were handed over to the Arachchikattuwa Police for further investigations.  (Sheain Fernandopulle)