Human-smuggling ring may be behind vessel seized in B.C.
Asylum seekers reportedly had to pick between Canada and Australia
According to Australian news reports, a ship seized off the coast of B.C. carrying 76 asylum-seekers may be linked to an Indonesian man alleged to be the ringleader of an international human-smuggling operation. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says authorities there arrested Captain Bram, a.k.a. Abraham Lauhenapessy, aboard a boat carrying 255 Sri Lankans, some of whom have since said they were offered spots on the Ocean Lady, the ship seized by Canadian officials. They reportedly opted for the trip to Australia because, at US$15,000, it was a third of the price of going to Canada.
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