Sting snares orphan dealer

BALAPITIYA - Foreigners pretending to buy tsunami orphans helped Sri Lankan authorities arrest a man who was trying to sell his grandchildren for 100,000 rupees (about $1450), say police.

The 60-year-old was taken into custody this week at a camp for displaced people near the island's ravaged southern coastal town of Balapitiya, when he tried to sell two boys aged 7 and 9.

"We were tipped off about the old man's intentions by a foreign couple. We used them as decoys to nab him in the end," said Inspector W.D.T. Wijesena, who supervised the operation. He said the police were taking care of the children.

The suspect was later produced before a magistrate and released on bail.

His lawyer told Reuters that his client had done nothing wrong.

"The man is innocent. They were unable to produce any evidence against him and so he was released on bail," said Sumith Dhammika de Silva. He declined to give the man's name.

Interpol warned earlier this week that criminal gangs could target children orphaned or separated from parents across the disaster zone to sell them into slavery.

"We are very concerned about the fact that there can be isolated attempts made to exploit the innocent in the wake of such a calamity," Interpol secretary-general Ronald K. Noble said.

"A disaster like this brings out the best in some and unfortunately the worst in others."

Sri Lanka has banned adoption of children orphaned by the December 26 tsunami disaster until further notice after receiving reports that some children had been kidnapped after the catastrophe.

The Government is conducting a census of displaced children and is drawing up a plan that would allow adoptions under certain circumstances.

It has appealed to people who have already adopted orphans without state approval to inform the National Child Protection Authority and return them.

- REUTERS