Ship-load of Tamils trying to enter Canada seized

VANCOUVER - Canadian authorities have thwarted a major attempt at human smuggling, seizing a ship-load of refugees possibly from Sri Lanka near Vancouver Saturday.

The ship bearing the name of Ocean Lady was carrying 76 males. The passengers were brought to Vancouver Sunday and sent to correctional facilities (jail) for questioning.

The ship was spotted in the sea near the Canadian coast and escorted by the authorities into Victoria which is the capital of British Columbia province.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said its officers took control of the ship Friday afternoon.

Though it is an obvious attempt at human smuggling, the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said they were questioning the passengers to ascertain the origin of the ship.

“The individuals have been transported to … a corrections facility (jail) in Vancouver, where the CBSA will continue to examine their admissibility to Canada,” the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said Sunday.

“We are acting quickly to meet the immediate personal and health needs of these individuals, and we are processing them in an efficient manner and in accordance with Canadian law,” Rob Johnston of the CBSA said the statement.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan said in Ottawa that preliminary inquiry hinted that the ship came from Sri Lanka.

David Poopalapillai, the vocal spokesman for the Canadian Tamil Congress, also said the passengers looked like Tamils.

He said the Tamils were being forced to take such risks as they faced a dire situation in Sri Lanka after the recent conflict.

Though a few large-scale attempts at human smuggling have been foiled in recent past, lax Canadian laws make human smuggling - particularly at a small scale - very easy.

Once a person manages to enter this country illegally, it is very difficult to remove him because of cumbersome laws. Currently, there are more than 60,000 refuge seekers in this country.