Navy foils attempt to smuggle stock of Kerala cannabis by sea, two suspects held

Two persons who attempted to smuggle a stock of Kerala cannabis by sea have been taken into custody by the Navy during a special coordinated search operation conducted with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard in the northern seas yesterday, Navy said.

During a naval operation in the northern seas in the wee hours of yesterday, the Navy with the assistance of Sri Lanka Coast Guard, searched a suspicious dinghy and found 57.275kg of drugs belonging to the category of Kerala cannabis. The suspects together with the haul of cannabis were taken into naval custody by following proper hygiene and decontamination procedures due to COVID – 19 global pandemic.

The apprehended persons are 33 and 39 years of age. The accused along with the dinghy and the haul of cannabis were handed over to the Kayts Police for onward legal action.

The street value of the stock of cannabis is estimated to be about Rs. 5.5 million. Meanwhile, the Navy has seized around 2911kg of substance belonging to the category of Kerala cannabis during the first 06 months of this year.