Sri Lanka Police have arrested 31 persons who were attempting to illegally sail to Australia and New Zealand in fishing boats.
Arachchikattuwa Police acting on information received have arrested the 31 would be asylum seekers in the Nagula Eliya area in Arachchikattuwa.
The police say the group was waiting to board the boats to migrate to Australia and New Zealand through the sea routes.
The suspected asylum seekers are residents of Udappuwa, Mullaitivu and Jaffna.
Australia sends asylum seekers arriving in boats to detention centers in offshore islands of Manus and Nauru.
