Puttalam Police Special Task Force (STF) officers in a joint operation with the Sri Lanka Navy recovered a cardamom smuggle operated from Kalpitiya and arrested two suspects along with 1, 266 kilograms of cardamom valued at Rs.15 million, at Eththukala yesterday.
It has been revealed that the stock of cardamom had been illegally brought into the country via sea from India. The STF had found the stock of cardamom hidden under a load of coconut in two vehicles, which was to be transported to Kurunegala. According to the STF, the arrested cardamom stock has been produced in Kerala. The arrested are the drivers of the two vehicles and they have confessed that their duty was to transport this cardamom to Kurunegala and hand over the two vehicles to another group of individuals in order to unload the stock. They have told the police that they do not know the location at which this stock is unloaded.
However, it has been revealed that this is not the first time that these drivers had joined to transport this cardamom to Kurunegala from Kalpitiya. Each driver had been paid Rs.200 per Kilogram transported by them, they have confessed.
The STF have identified the mastermind behind this racket and another person who is in charge of transporting these illegal items to Kurunegala. Investigations are being carried out to arrest them, STF said.
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