Illegal Reunion Island immigrants to return today

COLOMBO (News 1st) - French officials have taken necessary steps to extradite the seventy Sri Lankans who had tried to migrate illegally to the French territory of Reunion Islands. Assistant Investigations Director of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Janaka Rathnayaka noted that the seventy Sri Lankans are due to arrive today(February 14).   The owner of the multi-day fishing vessel lodged a complaint on January 26th at the Negombo police stating that his vessel was missing. He noted that his vessel known as "Prashansa" had left the Negombo Fisheries Harbor on January 9th and had not returned.   Investigations revealed that the captain of the vessel had agreed to smuggle seventy individuals to the Reunion Islands. Each person was charged an amount between Rs 100,000 to Rs 1 million.   The group of Sri Lankans had reached the Reunion Islands on February 5th.   It was also noted that hundred and sixty persons had gone to the Reunion Islands since last August (2018) and that fourteen persons were sent back to Sri Lanka.   The Fisheries Department also said that an organized human trafficking group carrying out the smuggling process.