Two agents--Stephen and Veeramani--had arranged a very old boat from Munambam for illegally ferry the Sri Lankan refugees to Australia.
Stephen and Veeramani, belonging to Kulachal near Kanyakumari, have also been arrested on an information received by the Ernakulam Rural SP, police said.
The refugees were conned by the agents and a few lakhs of rupees were collected from them after showing them the boat, police said.
Australia has repeatedly warned such asylum seekers that they would not be allowed in their country and sent back.