LANKAN ARRESTED IN MILAN WAS A FORMER DIPLOMAT: MFA

A Sri Lankan, who was a former diplomat on contract from 2012-2015, has been arrested in Milan but he has no valid Diplomatic Passport in his possession any more, as claimed by reports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Ministry initiated immediate inquiries to ascertain the veracity of this information. Accordingly, the Officials of the SL Consulate General in Milan have met the person arrested and have established his identity

In a statement, it said the Ministry has received media reports from Italy that a Sri Lankan with a Diplomatic Passport has been arrested at Malpensa Airport in Milan for allegedly trying to smuggle four youths into Italy.

“The Ministry initiated immediate inquiries to ascertain the veracity of this information. Accordingly, the Officials of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Milan have met the person arrested and have established his identity. It has been confirmed that the arrested person is not at present employed at any Sri Lanka Mission abroad or at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The person concerned does not hold a valid Diplomatic Passport and has travelled to Italy on an Official Passport issued to him on the basis of his employment in a government agency in Sri Lanka. It has also been established that this person had held a diplomatic assignment abroad on contract from 2012-2015 and was in possession of a Diplomatic Passport that had been cancelled, upon completion of his contract,” the statement said.