The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that the Sri Lankan who had been arrested in Italy for human smuggling had held a diplomatic posting during the period between 2012 and 2015. 

"It has been established that this person had held a diplomatic assignment abroad on contract from 2012-2015 and was in possession of a Diplomatic Passport that had been cancelled, upon completion of his contract," the Ministry said, in a statement, today. 

However, the Ministry said, the person did not have a valid diplomatic passport at the time of arrest. 

"It has been confirmed that the arrested person is not at present employed at any Sri Lanka Mission abroad or at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The person concerned does not hold a valid Diplomatic Passport and has travelled to Italy on an Official Passport issued to him on the basis of his employment in a government agency in Sri Lanka," the statement added. 

The Ministry also said the Officials of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Milan had met the person arrested and have established his identity.

The Sri Lankan had been arrested by Italian authorities at Malpensa Airport in Milan.