Navy-seized vessel carrying Rs 12.5 billion worth drugs brought to Dikkowita harbour

Navy-seized foreign vessel carrying Rs 12.5 billion worth drugs was brought to Dikkowita fisheries harbour along with suspects. This special operation was carried out by one of the Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessels in high seas about 463 nautical miles (835km) away from Sri Lankan shores.

Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS ‘Sayura’ intercepted a vessel carrying a large consignment of narcotics in seas about 463 nautical miles (835km) off the southern coast of the island on Saturday, around 9.30 a.m, Navy said.

After having detected a Flag State-less vessel in international waters, it had been intercepted by the Navy and about 605kg crystal methamphetamine (Ice), around 579kg of drugs called ketamine which had not been discovered in Sri Lanka before were found onboard the suspicious vessel. It was also reported that 200 packets of babul drug and another 100g of unidentified drug pills had been found aboard.

The consignment of crystal methamphetamine has been valued at about Rs. 6,050 million. Apart from the drugs, 09 Pakistan nationals aboard the vessel in connection to the incident were also taken into naval custody. This remains to be the biggest haul of narcotics seized in an operation at sea till date.

This is the third foreign vessel to be detained while transporting narcotics to Sri Lanka, during the past three (03) months. Prior to this incident, the Navy on 22nd and 25th February intercepted 02 foreign vessels carrying narcotics to Sri Lanka and seized a Sri Lankan fishing vessel transferring narcotics from those foreign vessels. As part of that interception, 16 foreigners and 05 locals as well as another 06 locals involved in transfer of narcotics at sea were also held in the southern part of the island.

Further, the Navy was able to seize 3,653kg of Kerala cannabis, 762kg of heroin, 3kg of crystal methamphetamine in 2019 and 2,339kg of Kerala cannabis, 739kg of crystal methamphetamine, 438kg of heroin and 579kg of ketamine in the past 03 months of year 2020.