Navy seized drugs worth over Rs. 3,270 m off Southwest of SL
April 11, 2020Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) busted heroin and crystal methamphetamine (ice) valued Rs 3,270 million during an operation in high seas Southwest off Sri Lanka, yesterday morning.
The haul drugs consist of nearly 260kg of heroin and 56kg ice was nabbed from an unidentified vessel which was sailing without a flag state, while operating a 14-day long search operation piloted 548 nautical miles away from land.
Seven foreign drug peddlers, believed to be Iranians tangled in the drug trafficking network, were also taken into the custody with their vessel during the hunt.
Based on information received by the SLN intelligence including verified satellite imagery, an Off-Shore Patrol Vessel (OPV) was tasked to patrol and intercept a possible narcotic smuggling attempt in the international waters South of the island.
Navy on detection of the network sailed an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) which is capable of retaining for long out at sea for the task on March 30.
March 28, SLN seized the country’s largest stock of smuggled narcotics worth more than Rs.12.5 billion during an operation also conducted in high seas.
During this year SLN’s anti-drug smuggling operations have been able to bust over 687kilos heroin, 795kilos ice and 579kilos ketamine.