Sri Lanka Navy arrested 147 persons illegally bound for Australia in 2 multi-day trawlers on 28th August 2012. One of the trawlers named “Jethsameny” with 66 persons including 64 Tamils and 2 Sinhalese on board was intercepted 22 nautical miles off Beruwala and the other named “Panchali Duwa 4” with 81 persons including 59 Tamils and 22 Sinhalese on board was intercepted 20 nautical miles off Chilaw.

The arrested persons are residents of Jaffna, Mullaithivu, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Kilinochchi, Chilaw, Puttlam, Colombo, Negombo, Kurunegala and Mannar. All were brought to Modara Fisheries Harbour to be handed over to the CID for further investigations.