Colombo: In their biggest ever crackdown on people smuggling, Sri Lankan Navy on July 1 detained a cargo ship that was trying to illegally ferry more than 200 people, mostly Pakistanis, to Europe.

Sri Lankan sailors boarded a 70-meter-long ship just off the island's Southern coast and arrested 154 people on board, while another trawler was seized with 29 people who were trying to get into a larger vessel.

Police said another 20 would-be illegal immigrants were arrested on the shore at Kudawella, 200 kms South of Colombo in the co-ordinated land and sea operation carried out by the Navy and the police.

Police and Naval authorities believe that most of the people arrested are of Pakistani origin. However, it is difficult to establish their identities because they had no travel documents with them.

Last month, police arrested 12 Bangladeshi men who were allegedly trying to board a fishing boat that was to illegally take them to Italy. The arrests were made in the capital Colombo.

With Sri Lanka allowing nationals of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) countries to enter the island with visa on arrival, there had been a flood of people from the region trying to use Sri Lanka as a transit point to illegally enter Europe.

The fees for ferrying people to Europe or Australia range from 150,000 to 300,000 Rupees ($ 1,550 to $ 3,125) for a one-way trip aboard a trawler.

PTI