Fifteen Sri Lankans deported after being caught by Australian border guards while attempting to enter Australia illegally by boat have arrived in Sri Lanka today.
The group was brought to the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport by an Australian Air Force aircraft at around 4.40 am this morning.
It is said that one security officer for each of them have arrived from Australia.
The group of Sri Lankans were received at the airport by a team of officials from the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka and presented to the Immigration and Emigration Officers.
The 15 were handed over to the CID at the airport. It is said that the officers of the Katunayake unit of the State Intelligence Service have also obtained information from them at length. It was to find out about the smugglers who sent them to Australia by boat.
The suspects are residents of Negombo and its environs. They are 20- to 30-year-olds and sailed to Australia last month.
They were caught by Australian security forces while their vessel was floating in Australian waters due to a technical fault.
Following their arrest, they were detained on Christmas Island with all facilities and deported later.
The suspects are due to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court today.
