Sri Lankan arrested for illegal entry into Israel

A 43-year-old Sri Lankan has been arrested on charges of illegally entering into Israel and unlawfully transporting a foreign national.

According to the International Division of the Israeli Police (Interpol), legal action will be initiated against the arrested Sri Lankan national in accordance with Israeli law.

Prior to the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, human traffickers operating from Jordan and Egypt had illegally brought a large number of Sri Lankans into Israel through desert routes across the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Israel said in a statement.

Following the strengthening of border security measures, such human trafficking activities have now been almost completely halted, the Embassy added.

In the current war-like security environment, the Sri Lankan Embassy has urged all Sri Lankan nationals to protect themselves from human traffickers and to refrain from attempting to enter Israel illegally through desert borders.