People smugglers are preying on Sri Lanka’s vulnerable with false promises of safe passage to places like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Dateline investigates what's driving the recent surge in the number of people-smuggling boats and how Australia is trying to stop them.

00:00 Intro
02:14 Sri Lanka’s economic and political crisis, explained
04:47 How people smuggling operates
06:23 Australia’s controversial “Stop the boats” policy
07:47 What the Australian Federal Police are doing to deter people from getting on boats
12:52 Interview with a people smuggler
16:13 The legacy of Sri Lanka’s civil war
16:53 Tamil asylum seekers in limbo in Australia
18:32 Two migrants recount a perilous journey by boat at sea
21:26 Intercepted by the Australian navy
26:04 Human rights concerns and allegations of police corruption in Sri Lanka
27:35 Life after being sent back

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Dateline is an Australian award-winning international documentary series with a current affairs backbone.
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