Sri Lanka Navy seizes 325kg of narcotics worth over Rs. 6.2 billion in southern waters, arrests 11 suspects

Apr 13, Colombo: Sri Lanka Navy in a special operation arrested 11 suspects smuggling 300 kilograms of heroin and 25 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (ice) in a local fishing vessel in the seas off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Navy spokesman Capt. Indika de Silva said.

The special operation conducted by the Navy in coordination with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, State Intelligence Service (SIS) and Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) in seas off Dodanduwa, Galle on the evening of 12th April 2022, led to the seizure of a local multi-day fishing vessel smuggling about 300kg of substance suspected to be heroin and about 25kg of drugs suspected to be crystal methamphetamine (ICE).

The coordinated operation also made way to the apprehension of 11 suspects along with a dinghy, a cab and a three-wheeler in connection to the incident.

According to the report by the Navy Media Unit, based on precise information received from SIS, the Navy and Coast Guard engaged in a two-weeklong operation covering the island and international waters.

Accordingly, SLN units detected and searched a suspicious local multi-day fishing trawler in seas off Dodanduwa on the evening of 12th April. The interception made way to the recovery of about 300kg of substance suspected to be heroin and about 25kg of drugs suspected to be crystal methamphetamine stuffed in 13 sacks.

The Navy seized the consignment of illegal drugs with six suspects aboard and the fishing trawler used for smuggling of drugs. In addition, a dinghy, a cab, a three-wheeler and 05 more suspects in connection to the same incident were also held, during investigations carried out with regard to this act of smuggling.

The multi-day fishing trawler has ventured out to sea from Beruwala fishery harbor on 26th March 2022 in the guise of fishing. It is suspected that the consignment of narcotics was fetched to the trawler from foreign smugglers in international waters, with the intention of smuggling them into the country.

Meanwhile, the gross street value of the seized consignment of illegal drugs is believed to be over Rs. 6.2 billion.

The suspects held during this operation were identified as residents of Hikkaduwa, Boossa, Kalawana, Berillawatta and Moragoda from 23 to 36 years of age.

Further investigation into the incident is currently underway with the involvement of Sri Lanka Navy and Police Narcotic Bureau.

Meanwhile, the Navy as the First Line of Defense of the nation, will continue to throw its weight behind this nature of operations with the assistance of SIS and other law enforcement agencies, to foil wicked attempts of drug smugglers, the Navy Media Unit said.