Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms has decided to establish a 44-member task force to curb illegal migration from and through Sri Lanka. The task force on illegal migration is to meet bi-monthly and submit a report.

The planned task force is to comprise representatives of a number of institutions related to illegal migration.

Meanwhile the military plans to establish military bases in strategically significant places to strengthen the national security and prevent illegal migration from the shores of the country.

Sri Lanka Navy recently established a new command center in the North Western coast tasked with preventing the use of sea and land routes by unauthorized persons.

Most recently Thai cargo ship MV Sun Sea carrying 492 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees including women and children reached Canada's coast of Vancouver Island.

According to Canadian authorities the refugees had paid up to $50,000 a passenger for a potential total haul of more than $20-million for the passage to Canada.