COLOMBO, 19 July 2021, (TON): Sri Lanka Navy managed to seize about 103kg and 750g of Kerala cannabis, during a special operation conducted in northern waters off Kankesanthurai, Jaffna in the dark hours on 15th July 2021. The operation also led to the apprehension of 03 suspects and a dinghy in connection to the racket.

Sri Lanka Navy has been conducting regular operations in island-waters to curb wide-ranging illegal activities, including the smuggling of drugs, taking place via sea routeConsequently, the Fast Attack Craft P 415 of 04th Fast Attack Craft Flotilla (4 FAF) attached to the Northern Naval Command with the Inshore Patrol Craft P 166 and P 015 conducted a special operation off Kankesanthurai, where they spotted several packages being thrown overboard from a dinghy heading landward, as it was about to be searched.

Incidentally, P 015 intercepted the suspicious dinghy and held 03 suspects aboard. In the meantime, P 166 and P 415 carried out further search in the sea area and recovered 03 packages containing about 103kg and 750g of Kerala cannabis cast away by the smugglers.

It is suspected that the smugglers might have retrieved the stock of Kerala cannabis to the dinghy at the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) to smuggle it into the island. Meanwhile, the street value of the seized stock of Kerala cannabis is believed to be over Rs. 31 million.