The Sri Lanka Navy seized 275 kilogrammes of heroin with a street value of almost Rs.3,300 million (Rs.3.3 billion) from a boat off the Trincomalee coast yesterday morning. The Navy took into custody five suspected smugglers along with the contraband.
According to Navy Spokesman Lieutenant Commander Isuru Suriyabandara, the arrested parties were all Sri Lankan nationals. The patrol team on the Navy surveillance ship ‘Sagara’ intercepted the suspicious boat in the seas off Trincomalee. This is following information received by it from the Police Narcotics Bureau that it was carrying a suspect consignment of narcotics.
“The Navy found them after a brief search,” said Suriyabandara.
“The vessel is a local multi-day fishing boat. The occupants were all men,” he said.
“The present haul of 275 kilogrammes is the second largest haul of heroin arrested in the country so far. The largest was 294 kilogrammes and 490 grams of heroin seized in April this year has a street value was Rs.3.5 billion,” Police said.The suspects were being brought ashore at the time this story went to press.
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