27 people were taken into custody from Ambalangoda, Galle and Beruwala areas while they were getting ready to flee to Australia illegally as asylum seekers last night, police said.

Police said eight people were arrested from a hotel in Ambalangoda, thirteen people were arrested from a house in Galle and six people were arrested from a house in Beruwala.

Among the arrested suspects seven males Sinhala males, ten Tamil males, six Tamil women and four Tamil children were found. Police further said, the suspects were residents from Trincomalee, Negombo, Vavuniya, Galle, Ambalangoda, Kilinochchi and Mulative areas

The suspects are to be produced before the Balapitiya Magistrate Court today.