SL Navy’s coordinated operation seizes drugs worth over Rs. 6200 million
April 13, 2022In a coordinated operation, the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) had seized a large haul of drugs in the southern seas off Dodanduwa in Galle, last evening (12 Apr). According to SLN media, a special operation conducted by the SL Navy in coordination with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, State Intelligence Service (SIS) and Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) seized a local multi-day fishing vessel with about 300kg of substance suspected to be heroin and about 25kg of drugs suspected to be crystal methamphetamine (ICE).
The gross street value of the seized consignment of illegal drugs is believed to be over Rs. 6200 million, it says.
Acting on information from the SIS, the Navy and Coast Guard had engaged in a two-week long operation in local and international waters during which SLN units upon detection had searched a suspicious local multi-day fishing trawler resulting in the recovery of the haul of drugs stuffed in 13 sacks, it says.
The Navy had taken hold of the drugs along with 06 suspects aboard the fishing trawler. In addition, a dinghy, a cab, a three-wheeler and 05 more suspects in connection with the same incident were also taken in during investigations, it says.
The fishing trawler had left from Beruwala fishery harbour last month (26 Mar) in the pretext of fishing. It is suspected that the drugs had been transferred to the trawler from foreign smugglers in international waters, with the intention smuggling them into the country, it says.
The suspects are between the ages of 23 to 36 years and are identified as residents of Hikkaduwa, Boossa, Kalawana, Berillawatta and Moragoda. Sri Lanka Navy and Police Narcotic Bureau are conducting further investigation, it says.
