The Navy seized nearly 140 Kgs of Kerala cannabis, during a special operation conducted in the seas off Manalkadu, Point Pedro in the wee hours today (26).
Two suspects were arrested.
The Navy has been conducting regular operations to thwart illegal activities including smuggling of drugs stemming via sea routes.
Accordingly, the Northern Naval Command deployed Inshore Patrol Craft P 177 and carried out this special operation, having spotted a suspicious dinghy speeding off landward from Manalkadu sea area today.
As the suspicious dinghy was in an attempt to evade the search, by dumping several sacks into water, it was intercepted by P 177. Subsequent search of the dinghy led to the seizure of a sack filled with Kerala cannabis and apprehension of 2 suspects involved in the racket.
Meanwhile, the Navy deployed Fast Attack Craft P 480 and P 433 of 4th Fast Attack Craft Flotilla (4 FAF) attached to the Northern Naval Command along with Inshore Patrol Craft P 105 for further search in the same sea area and SLN units retrieved 3 more sacks of Kerala cannabis. As such, the entire operation paved the way to recover about 139 kg and 930 gr Kerala cannabis and apprehension of 2 suspects and a dinghy.
It is suspected that the smugglers have transferred this stock of Kerala to the dingy at the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) with the intention of smuggling them into the island. Meanwhile, the street value of the seized stock of Kerala cannabis in believed to be over Rs. 41 million.
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