Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) informs the general public to obtain details regarding relevant foreign employment agencies from the SLBFE prior to handing over passports or making any payments to them.

In a statement, the SLBFE highlighted that the legitimacy of the relevant foreign employment agency can be confirmed by contacting the SLBFE Information Centre via its hotline “1989”, which is operational around the clock, or by visiting the SLBFE website (www.slbfe.lk).

Meanwhile, the investigation officers of the SLBFE have raided an illegal foreign employment agency, according to a complaint received by the Special Investigations Unit of the SLBFE that the agency has defrauded an amount of Rs. 450,000 from a youth who was promised employment in Dubai. 

The concerned youth, who is a resident of the Thirukkovil area, had complained to the SLBFE that he was not provided with the job as promised.

At the time of the raid, there had been two young women at the office, and they have been released after obtaining statements.

Later, the owner and the Manager of the relevant foreign employment agency have surrendered to the Special Investigations Unit of the SLBFE. 

They have been released under two surety bails of Rs. 1 million each, after being produced before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court.

The court, which ordered them to pay back the Rs. 450,000 obtained from the youth in question, also imposed an overseas travel ban on the two suspects.

Meanwhile six Sri Lankan youths who were forcibly detained at a farm in Kuwait, have returned back to Sri Lanka, early this morning (Jan. 09).

The individuals in question have informed the Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait that they have been forcibly detained, and then measures were taken to repatriate them to Sri Lanka.

They are residents of Trincomalee and Kinniya, according to the SLBFE. 

It has been uncovered that the group had left for Kuwait through an illegal broker in Kinniya.