SLBFE busts human trafficking racket, one suspect arrested
February 7, 2023 05:33 pm
An individual believed to be involved in a human trafficking racket was arrested during a raid in the Ambalanthota area on Sunday (05 Feb).
The suspect, identified as a resident of Nonagama, Welipatanwila in Amabalanthota, was later produced before the Hambantota Magistrate’s Court yesterday (06 Feb.), and was placed in remand custody until 20 February.
The court had also ordered the suspect to facilitate the immediate repatriation of the group of Sri Lankans stranded in Laos.
The accused had reportedly obtained around Rs. 1.9 million from people under the guise of providing them with foreign employment in Thailand, and had later abandoned them in Laos, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said.
Meanwhile, investigations are currently underway into the apprehension of another suspect reportedly involved in the racket.
The suspect, identified as a candidate from the National People’s Power (NPP) for the upcoming Local Government (LG) election, had fled the premises during the raid, SLBFE said.
