38 illegal emigrants arrested

The Sri Lanka Navy apprehended a local multi day fishing trawler with 38 individuals, suspected to be on an illegal migration attempt to a foreign country via sea, during a patrol carried out in south-eastern seas of the island yesterday. 

In the search operation mounted in the seas off Okanda, Ampara, the Navy intercepted a suspicious local multi day fishing trawler carrying 38 persons who were suspected to be attempting to illegally migrate to Australia.  
The Navy said 26 male suspects including six men involved in the human smuggling racket, five females and seven children were among those arrested.  

Along with the suspects, the fishing vessel used was also impounded by the Navy. Further inspections revealed that the multi-day trawler had a mechanical failure in its engine and the vessel was unsuitable for long voyages.  
The suspects held in the operation are residents of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Valachchenai, Chilaw, Kalpitiya, Udappuwa, Ja-Ela and Negombo aged 02 to 60. They were handed over to the Panama Police for legal proceedings.  
Meanwhile, the Navy urged the public to avoid being convicted before the law by being caught in the trap of smugglers who persuade the innocent to engage in illegal and perilous sea voyages to migrate from the island. The Australian government does not support illegal immigrants, who are arrested and deported immediately.