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Trafficking of Sri Lankan Children to Singapore

A racket involving the smuggling of more than 20 Sri Lankan children to Singapore has been busted and four suspects arrested, the National Child Protection Authority disclosed. The NCPA Chairman Jagath Wellawattha said that in the latest case, three children who were found deserted at the Singapore airport were flown back to Sri Lanka at NCPA expense.

He said four suspect racketeers were arrested and the parents who were alleged to have sold their children for Rs.1.8 million each were taken in for questioning. Mr. Wellawattha said the racket had been going on for some time and more than 20 children had allegedly been sold by the racketeers.

In February this year the media spotlighted a prostitution ring operated by Sri Lankan pimps in on of Singapore’s noted red light area where scores of Sri Lankan women were involved. The matter was exposed in a video aired by the Singapore Home Ministry and its anti vice squad.

The secretly shot video showed a group of Sri Lankan women soliciting customers under the watchful eyes of Sri Lankan pimps at Lorang 15 in the Geylang district. At the time the media reported that most of the women were stranded in Singapore and were scared or ill informed on how to seek assistance from the Sri Lankan mission in the country. 
 
 
Adapted from: "Child trafficking racket busted." Daily Mirror. 28 April 2008.