CID arrests woman with links to sex trafficking in Oman

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigations Department arrested a woman linked to trafficking women to Oman, where they are auctioned and sold to the highest bidder.

The CID told News 1st on Monday (21) that the woman was operating the sex trafficking ring from Oman and was arrested after she surrendered to the Criminal Investigations Department.

The CID said that it had been investigating her for several weeks, and she was not living at any of the four registered addresses.

However, on Monday (21) morning, she surrendered to detectives and following her arrest three in total have been apprehended for their links to trafficking women to Oman.

On Saturday 19th October 2022, Sri Lanka's Immigration and Emigration Department arrested a 40-year-old man at the Katunayake Airport for engaging in human smuggling.

He was arrested when returning to Sri Lanka from Dubai and was identified as a resident of Wattala who was operating a Foreign Employment Agency in Maradana, Colombo 10.

Thereafter, on Sunday (20) another suspect connected to the human trafficking ring was arrested from Avissawella.

He was identified as a broker who sends Sri Lankan women to the Middle Easter, where they are smuggled from Abu Dhabi to Oman to be sold as sex slaves.

The suspect was arrested based on the complaints made filed by Sri Lankan women stranded in the Middle East.

Safe-House Abuse: 

Around 90 women who were subject to multiple forms of physical and mental abuse are currently given shelter at a safe house operated by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman.

However, this safe house lacks the most basic facilities to accommodate a single woman, let alone 90 of them.

These Sri Lankan women, some of who were auctioned for sex, are at this safe house because of the excessive trauma that they experienced, and sadly it has now been revealed that they repeatedly exploited the safe house in Oman.

On Sunday (20) several Sri Lankan women approached News 1st and detained the horrors they had to experience in Oman at the hands of a Sri Lankan diplomat stationed there.

These women blamed an Embassy Official named Kushan as a person who abuses them and intimidates them.

Death Threats:

Meanwhile, Ranthatige Nishanka alias Dubai Sudda who revealed details of this human trafficking ring has received death threats. 

He told News 1st that after he exposed what is happening to Sri Lankan women in Oman, traffickers have put a price of Rs. 1 Million or more on his head.

The Foreign Employment Bureau said that the official attached to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman accused of these heinous crimes has been suspended. 

The suspended official is the Officer acting in the capacity of Third Secretary at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman E.K. Kushan. 

The Criminal Investigations Department said it has approached the country's Attorney General for advice on proceeding against the illegal activity.