The Sri Lankan Navy arrested 21 illegal immigrants in a fishing trawler bound for another country, a spokesman said on Monday.

Navy spokesman Dinesh Bandara told Xinhua that Sri Lankan Navy personnel intercepted this trawler with illegal immigrants on board during their patrol to curb transnational crimes in the territorial waters off the island nation.

He said the suspects had been brought to the Colombo Port and handed over to the local police for investigation.

The spokesman added that the Sri Lankan Navy was yet to ascertain the country the illegal immigrants were heading to by the time of their arrest.

He said the Navy was playing a pivotal role in territorial waters of the island by undertaking round-the-clock patrols to ward off all forms of illegal activities.