Australia warns Sri Lankans against people smugglers

COLOMBO, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Australia on Wednesday warned Sri Lankans to beware of lies spread by people smugglers following media coverage of three recent failed human smuggling attempts.

The Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka said in a statement that Australian border protection authorities last December intercepted a people-smuggling boat with 29 Sri Lankan nationals on board, and all of the 29 people had been returned to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan authorities also recently disrupted two planned illegal boat ventures before they departed the island country.

The vessel intercepted last December was headed for Australia, but several passengers indicated they had left Sri Lanka thinking they were travelling to New Zealand, the High Commission said.

Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Bryce Hutchesson said the interception of this boat showed that some people in Sri Lanka still wrongly believed it was possible to travel illegally to Australia or New Zealand by boat, or that there was some benefit to be gained by attempting the dangerous voyage.

Hutchesson further thanked the Sri Lankan government for its strong cooperation, saying Australian and Sri Lankan authorities were working closely together to track down those responsible for organizing the latest people-smuggling venture. Enditem