Another 53 were arrested for leaving the country without permission

The navy said that 53 people were arrested from Trincomalee and Mannar along with two smugglers who were suspected of attempting to illegally migrate to a foreign country by sea.

This group in Trincomalee Erakkandi and Mannar Talpadu coastal areas

The Navy said that they were arrested on the night of July 5 and that the suspects, aged between 1 and 52, were arrested in the operation jointly conducted by the Sri Lanka Naval Ship Vijayaba under the Eastern Naval Command and the Kuchchaveli Police.

The navy said that 12 men, 11 women and 23 children were arrested during a special search operation carried out by the Sri Lanka Naval Ship Gajaba in Mannar, Talpadu beach area using a dinghy for illegal immigration to another country. The navy also mentioned that two smugglers involved in the same smuggling along with 07 other people including 03 men, 03 women and 03 children were taken into custody along with a dinghy at Talpadu beach.

The Navy further stated that the suspects, aged between 05 and 48, were identified as residents of Colombo, Badulla, Vavnia and Mannarama and were handed over to the Mannar Police for further legal proceedings.