SMUGGLING SRI LANKANS TO CANADAVIA GUINEA

New racket of smuggling Sri Lankans exposed

The Controller of Immigration and Emigration Chulananda Perera disclosed they had uncovered a new racket of smuggling Sri Lankans to Canada via Guinea located in Western Africa.

This latest modus operandi adopted by a gang of racketeers came to light when they had interrogated at length a Sri Lankan youth from Nawalapitiya who had been present at the airport early yesterday morning to travel to Guinea. It was believed LTTE sympathisers acting as agents, were conniving with human smugglers in Guinea in operating this racket. The method of this racket accord

ing to immigration and em-

It was believed LTTE sympathisers acting as agents, were conniving with human smugglers in Guinea in operating this racket

igration authorities was that they obtain visas to visit Guinea from its embassy in India, and thereafter either individually or in groups, travel from Sri Lanka or India to Guinea via Doha. Once in Guinea they travel by boat to Canada. The Controller of Immigration and Emigration had earlier directed his officials at the airport to have a closer observation on such travellers and prevent them from undertaking such a hazardous journey, which only brings disrespect to Sri Lanka and untold misfortune to these illegal migrants. Acting on these directives the Emigration Officer Jayantha Ratnayake who had been on duty at the airport at the time, had confronted the suspect youth and

The method of this racket according to immigration and emigration authorities was that they obtain visas to visit Guinea from its embassy in India, and thereafter either individually or in groups, travel from Sri Lanka or India to Guinea via Doha. Once in Guinea they travel by boat to Canada

questioned him at length and prevented him from travelling.