COLOMBO: Sri Lankan police said yesterday they had busted a people-smuggling ring and arrested 113 men who were preparing to board a trawler heading for Australia.

The Sri Lankans were arrested as they were being transported in seven vans and a truck to board the boat for an illegal and dangerous journey that cost them an estimated $2,000 each, police said.

Six people operating the racket were arrested during the raid in the capital Colombo early Monday morning, which came after a tip-off from an informer.

“Our information is that over 150 people had signed up for this particular journey,” police fraud bureau director J.K. Mark said. “They were to go in a boat meant to carry only seven people and spend a couple of weeks at sea.” A senior naval official said that authorities expected an increase in illegal boat operations from Sri Lanka to Australia after an Australian court shot down plans to send illegal immigrants to Malaysia for repatriation.

“We believe many more boats have set out from Sri Lankan shores in recent months. The arrests today confirm our suspicions,” the officer said, declining to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

FROM: AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE