On Thursday 10, eight nationals of Bangladesh were arrested in the early morning hours of the day at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) as they tried to depart for Serbia by means of counterfeit visas. Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Immigration Department’s Border Surveillance Unit conducted the arrests during a coordinated operation.
When the first suspect tried to board Qatar Airlines aircraft KR-655, which was headed for Doha, he was caught. After his Serbian visa was submitted for clearance and airline personnel noticed anything suspicious, they handed him over to the Border Surveillance Unit. It was established through research that the visa was fraudulent.
“Forged Visas -Eight nationals from Bangladesh were arrested at the BIA after been detected with forged Serbian Visas”
After further inquiry, it was discovered that another Bangladeshi national was waiting in the airport’s visitors’ lounge. This person had helped the first suspect. Following his apprehension, law enforcement officials discovered details regarding six additional citizens of Bangladesh who were lodged at a Negombo lodge who had plans of travelling Serbia as well.
Following a raid on the lodge, CID officers arrested the remaining suspects and turned them over to the Border Enforcement Unit of the Immigration Department. Subsequently, the suspects were moved to the CID in order to do additional research. It was also disclosed that the individuals from Bangladesh arrived in Sri Lanka in September.
