Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara has established a Safe Migration Promotion Unit (SMU) at the departure terminal of Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to combat illegal emigration facilitated by forged visas. Minister Nanayakkara noted instances of individuals leaving for Oman, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates using counterfeit visas, which has led to significant problems.
The decision to form the Safe Migration Unit was made based on recommendations from the Ministry of Defense and the National Task Force to Prevent Human Smuggling. Its primary goal is to prevent the movement of passengers who possess illegal travel documents.
The SMU is composed of personnel from different agencies, including the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau, the CID, the Department of Immigration and Emigration, and the State Intelligence Service.
Minister Nanayakkara specified that the unit will serve as a pilot project for three months, with plans for further enhancements in the future. The occasion saw the presence of notable figures such as Chairman of the Airport and Aviation Company Maj. Gen. (Rtd) G.A. Chandrasiri, Airport Management Chief H.S. Hettiarachchi, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau Hilmi Azeez, General Manager Priyantha Senanayake, as well as senior police and CID officials.