A 70-year-old former employee of Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration has been arrested after police found 48 third-party passports allegedly linked to a visa document forgery operation in Kaduwela.
Nawagamuwa Police also seized a smartphone and a specialised device reportedly used to examine security features on passports and currency notes during the raid at a residence in Ihala Bomiriya.
The arrest followed information received by a police constable attached to the Nawagamuwa Police Divisional Intelligence Unit. Acting on the tip-off, officers raided the residence after receiving information that forged documents were being prepared to help applicants fraudulently obtain visas through foreign embassies.
The operation was conducted by a team led by Anti-Corruption Unit Officer-in-Charge Sub-Inspector R.K.P.V. Srimal, under the direction of Nawagamuwa Police OIC Chief Inspector Susantha Jayanath.
During questioning, the suspect reportedly told police that he had worked as an office assistant at the Department of Immigration and Emigration for about five years.
He later joined a job agency in Battaramulla, which investigators say he used to collect passports from clients seeking to travel overseas on tourist visas.
According to police, the suspect allegedly removed old visa stickers from previous passports using steam and transferred them to clients’ new passports. The aim was reportedly to create the appearance of previous international travel and strengthen visa applications submitted to foreign embassies.
Police said the suspect charged Rs. 20,000 per applicant for the service.
Investigators found that visa sections in around 15 of the 48 passports had already been tampered with or removed.
The suspect is due to be produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court as investigations continue.
