12 persons arrested for engaging in illegal activities

Navy arrested 12 persons for engaging in illegal activities at separate locations in the country over the last few days, Navy said. 

Accordingly, a group of naval personnel attached to SLNS Ruhuna belonging to the Southern Naval Command in coordination with STF personnel in Hambantota carried out a raid and arrested 2 persons with 110 packets of foreign cigarette in Dikwella region on 24 September. The arrested persons and packets of cigarette were handed over to Dikwella Police for necessary legal action.

Based on intelligence information provided by the Navy, the officials of the Sri Lanka Customs arrested a suspect attempted to smuggle 900 g of gold to India, concealed in his body at the Bandaranaike International Airport on 24 September. The suspect is a resident of Mattakkuliya area, aged 45.

Meanwhile, naval troops attached to the Northern Naval Command apprehended a person for keeping live sea turtles at Velani in Jaffna on 28September. A dinghy belonging to the person was also taken into naval custody. The apprehended person, dinghy and turtles were produced before the Fisheries Inspector of Kytes for onward action.

Naval personnel attached to the Southern Naval Command in coordination with the officials of the Department of Wildlife, during a raid, arrested 2 persons with 13 illegally caught lobsters near Mirijjawila fisheries harbour on 29 September. During the arrest, 2 motor-bicycles made ready to transfer the lobsters were also taken into custody. The suspects, motor-bicycles and lobsters were handed over to the Hambantota Fisheries Inspector for onward legal action.  It is prohibited to harvest lobsters during this period of time as this is the season that lobsters lay their eggs.

Naval personnel belonging to the Northwestern Naval Command apprehended 2 persons for engaging in illegal fishing practices using unauthorized fishing nets at Kimbulbokka general area in Kalpitiya on 29 September. Along with the suspects, a dinghy, 2.5 m long unauthorized net and 5 kg of illegally caught fish were taken into naval custody. The apprehended persons and their belongings were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries in Puttalam for further legal action.

Further, naval personnel attached to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, during a search carried out at Oluvil fisheries harbour, arrested 4 persons for fishing an Ocean White Tip Shark on 30 September. The fish caught by the suspects has been found from their multiday fishing trawler. The arrested suspects, the fishing trawler and other belongings were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector in Palamunei for onward investigations. Ocean White Tip Shark is a prohibited fish species to catch according to Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act No 2 of 1996.