Lankans lose passports in Dubai visit visa scam

From Leon Berenger In Dubai

A multi-million rupee international racket involving the trading of Sri Lankan passports has come to light in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following the recent arrest of seven persons, and the hunt is on for a woman who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the scam, officials said.

An official of the Sri Lankan Consulate in Dubai told The Sunday Times the alleged racket had been in operation for nearly a decade, during which period hundreds of unsuspecting persons had fallen victim to the fraudsters losing all their hard earned earnings and their travel documents in the process.

Passport UAE	Passport Sri Lanka

He said the gang had operated with connivance with rogue manpower recruitment agencies in Sri Lanka, and the bulk of the victims are visit visa holders arriving in the UAE. At present the Consulate is handling at least 80 such cases reported over the past two months.

According to S Zaid, the Labour attaché at the consulate, the rogue agencies offer a visit visa to the UAE in return for large fees amounting to nearly Rs 200,000. The money has to be deposited before they leave Sri Lanka. For this fee, the victims are promised with lucrative jobs, accommodation and food till such time they are able to secure employment.

However, the situation was different once they enter the UAE, Mr. Zaid said.“Shortly after arrival these unscrupulous agents approach the visit visa holders and ask them to hand over their passports saying it is necessary, if an employment visa is to be endorsed. The agents then vanish without a trace,” Mr. Zaid said.

It is alleged that these passports are later sold for large sums of money to persons making their way to Europe and other Western destinations on doctored visas and also to Lankans who cannot leave for home on their own travel documents for various reasons.

The embassy here is inundated with complaints from Lankans lamenting they are unable to get back home since they have lost their passports and are seeking Emergency Exit papers, Mr. Zaid said.

He said it was a difficult situation faced by the consulate, since they would have to screen the applicants to separate those who were genuine and who were not. “There are many cases where persons have also sold their passports for large sums of money, and later claim innocence. It is a difficult vetting process altogether,” he said.