COLOMBO, July 1: Sri Lanka’s navy and police surrounded a cargo ship on Tuesday and arrested 256 Pakistanis who were trying to leave illegally for Italy, officials said.

Navy sailors boarded the ship and arrested 185 Pakistanis while in two other raids onboard a trawler and on shore another 71 Pakistanis were detained, police said.

The arrests were made near Kudawella, 200km south of Colombo and the navy was guarding the ship used for the people-smuggling operation, a navy spokesman here said.

He said the navy had also detained the six-man crew of the vessel and its registration and ownership were under investigation.

Authorities said the Pakistanis had arrived in Sri Lanka to take the illegal ferry.

Sri Lanka has been lifting visa restrictions on nationals of neighbouring countries and has seen a flood of would-be illegal immigrants trying to make the island a key transit point to travel to Europe.

Sri Lankans trying to smuggle themselves off the island bound for Europe aboard fishing trawlers are often detained or turned back after reaching their destinations.

The fees for ferrying people to Europe or Australia range from 150,000 to 300,000 rupees (1,550 to 3,125 dollars) for a one-way trip aboard a trawler.—AFP