Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara has established a Safe Migration Promotion Unit (SMU) at the departure terminal of Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to combat illegal emigration facilitated by forged visas. Minister Nanayakkara noted instances of individuals leaving for Oman, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates using counterfeit visas, which has led to significant problems.
The decision to form the Safe Migration Unit was made based on recommendations from the Ministry of Defense and the National Task Force to Prevent Human Smuggling. Its primary goal is to prevent the movement of passengers who possess illegal travel documents.
Minister Nanayakkara specified that the unit will serve as a pilot project for three months, with plans for further enhancements in the future.