The Foreign Employment Bureau has uncovered a prostitution ring involving Sri Lankan women in the Maldives.
According to information received around 70 to 100 Sri Lankan women have been smuggled to the Maldives on tourist visas to work as escorts and prostitutes.
In an undercover operation last Tuesday, the Special Investigation Unit of the Foreign Employment Bureau managed to trap the the smuggler.
Following an initial request to send a photograph of the decoy to the smuggler’s mobile phone, the smuggler requested the decoy to come to ‘Diyatha Uyana’ in Battaramulla on Tuesday night.
During the sting operation, officials of the Foreign Employment Bureau nabbed the smuggler.
Following information revealed by the smuggler, officials arrested the owner of a lodge in Battaramulla.
It has come to light that smugglers had used this location to provide accommodation to the women until their departure to the Maldives.
The suspects have been remanded until November 21. Investigations are underway for a Bangladeshi national who is also suspected to be involved in the racket.
Meanwhile, the Australian Ambassador for People Smuggling and Human Trafficking , Andrew Goledzinowski in an exclusive interview with News 1st praised Sri Lanka’s efforts to tackle human smuggling in the region.
” We have been working hard to resettle them somewhere in a third country not in Australia and the United States has agreed to do that – which is great. But the US has said very clearly that this is a one off it will never happen again. So, if anyone in the future attempts to get to Australia they will be tuned back ”, stressed Andrew Goledzinowski.
The post SLBFE uncovers prostitution racket involving Lankans – masterminds arrested appeared first on Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst | Breaking News and Latest News provider | Political | Sports | International | Business.