The Sri Lankan Government, the target countries and the airlines all work closely together to trace the immigrants before they go. It's fairly difficult because some of the forgeries are very good Walter Riggans Sri Lankan Airlines Staff at check-in counters will call embassy staff if they are suspicious about visas and those who are caught are handed to the police. Airlines are fined for taking bogus travellers. But according to Walter Riggans at Sri Lankan Airlines, it is sometimes almost impossible to detect the forgeries. There is the added problem of these agents trying to bribe or threaten staff both in the airlines and immigration department.
Agents watch their clients checking in at the airport and give then instructions over mobile phone.
The government hopes that increased prison sentences and large fines will be a deterrent. Anyone who is deported is supposed to serve at least one year in prison but it is rarely imposed. Many who want to leave Sri Lanka go for economic reasons. But human rights lawyers say that a large proportion, especially from the minority Tamil community, are genuine refugees from the war between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels. One third of Sri Lanka's Tamil population is in foreign countries Human Rights Lawyer Maheswary Velautham Maheswary Velautham of Forum for Human Dignity says nothing will deter those determined to go.