A woman has been arrested for operating a fraudulent foreign employment agency and recruiting individuals for employment in Dubai, Romania, and several Middle Eastern countries, according to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).

The suspect was taken into custody on February 03 by officers of the Special Investigation Unit of the SLBFE.

Acting on a tip-off, the SLBFE’s Special Investigation Unit carried out a raid on the fraudulent foreign employment agency, which was being operated from a rented house in the Mulleriyawa area, the SLBFE said in a statement. 

The agency was reportedly operated by a woman residing in the Udamulla area. During the raid, officials seized 154 foreign passports, employment contracts, medical reports and related applications, as well as various files containing personal biographical information.

Investigations further revealed that the suspect had previously obtained a valid license from the SLBFE in 2016 and had been operating a foreign employment agency. 

However, the SLBFE later suspended the license after eleven cases were filed against the foreign employment agency operated by the suspect.

An open warrant has also been issued against the woman by the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court, the statement said.

The arrested suspect was produced before the No. 05 Magistrate’s Court at the Aluthkade Courts Complex yesterday (04) and was remanded until February 11, the SLBFE said.