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Navy hikes surveillance as illicit migrants find new departure points
As the Navy stepped up its surveillance of the eastern and northwestern coast to detect illegal migrants heading to Australia, human traffickers this week opened up a new route from the north.Two boats carrying 120 illegal migrants were detected off Point Pedro. They included residents from Marawila, Puttalam, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Negombo.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the operators had purchased the boats at Rs. 4.4 million a piece from Negombo and Chilaw, while the crew members were also from these areas.
To date, for this year alone over 1,400 Sri Lankans have succeeded in making it illegally to Christmas Island by boat. (file pic)
The breakthrough came when police detected five persons in a fishing hut in Vadamarachchi east who were residents of Negombo. They had claimed to be fishermen come to purchase additional stocks of fish.Further investigations also revealed Rs. 1.4 million in their possession.
They were produced before Point Pedro Magistrate Srinithi Nandasegaram who enlarged them on bail, while ordering them to be present in court on the following day.On information received from the men, the police had alerted the Navy, leading to the arrest of the first boat with 63 persons. The five persons who organized the trip were re-arrested.
Except for a 15-year-old boy who was released, the rest were remanded. Earlier on Monday, 52 others were apprehended off Point Pedro.However, the departure of illegal migrants from other areas continue, with the latest being detected on Friday.
The Navy on Thursday night intercepted off Batticaloa, 24 illegal migrants heading for Australia. They were residents of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.
Navy Spokesman Commander Kosala Waranakulasuriya told the Sunday Times that, as most of those detected to date, have been from the north, with many apprehended on land, they may be of the view that departing from the north is safer.
“They may be reducing detection by travelling from other areas,” he said.
He said that surveillance in the eastern and northwestern coastal areas have been increased.“We found that most of the boats detected were from Chilaw and Puttalam areas,” he said.
During the week, as many as 500 illegal migrants heading to Australia were detected from various parts of the country.
Meanwhile, in one of the latest developments, fishermen in the Negombo and Chilaw areas are selling their fishing trawlers to human traffickers, as they find it more lucrative than fishing. “Fishermen are finding it harder to engage in fishing.
Therefore, some of them have been attracted by the prospect of selling their trawlers to human smugglers,” spokesman of a fishing society in Negombo said.
“They can sell their trawlers for about Rs 4 million,” he added.To date, for this year alone over 1,400 Sri Lankans have succeeded in making it illegally to Christmas Island by boat.
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