Twenty two (22) persons apprehended for engaging in illegal activities
Sri Lanka Navy apprehended 22 persons engaged in illegal acts at separate locations in the country over the last couple of days. The suspects were taken into custody for practicing illegal fishing, illegal transportation of timber, possession and selling of drugs and cigarette.
Naval personnel attached to the Northwestern Naval Command arrested 08 persons for engaging in illegal fishing using unauthorized fishing nets in Uchchamuni sea area on 30th October and 03rd November. Along with them, 2 dinghies, 20 pieces of unauthorized net, a nylon net weighing 6 kg and 150 kg of illegally caught fish were taken into naval custody. The arrested persons, dinghies and fishing gear were handed over to the Assistant Fisheries Directorate in Puttalam for onward action.
Naval personnel belonging to the Southeastern Naval Command apprehended 3 persons practiced illegal fishing without valid license in Pothuvil seas on 30th October. An unregistered dinghy was also seized along with the suspects. The apprehended persons and dinghy were produced before the Pothuvil Fisheries Inspector for further investigations.
On receipt of intelligence information, naval troops attached to the Southeastern Naval Command arrested a person for fishing lobsters by illegal means in the general area of Okanda on 02nd November. During the arrest, the Navy also managed to find 12 well-grown lobsters along with 06 breeding lobsters. The arrested persons and lobsters were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector in Panama for onward action. It is prohibited to catch lobsters during this period of time as they lay eggs in this season.
Meanwhile, based on an intelligence tip-off received by the Eastern Naval Command, a group of naval personnel attached to the same command managed to apprehend a persons who used dynamite for fishing activities in Nilaveli on 02nd November. Naval personnel also took 470 kg of illegally caught fish into custody during this raid. The apprehended suspect along with the stock of fish was produced before the Trincomalee Police HQ for onward legal action.
Based on information received by the Western Naval Command, naval personnel belonging to the same command in coordination with Police Special Investigation Unit in Peliyagoda nabbed a suspect with 2kg of Kerala Cannabis during a raid conducted in Thewatta area in Ragama on 30th October. Apprehended cannabis along with the 34 year old suspect who is a resident of the same area was handed over to the Ragama Police Station for onward legal action.
Based on intelligence information received by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Waruna, naval personnel attached to the establishment together with the officials of National Medicines Regulatory Authority nabbed a person with prescription tablets during a raid conducted in Wadduwa on 30th October. 1,134 Pregabalin tablets and 307 Tramadol tablets in his possession were also recovered during the arrest. The suspect and the stock of prescription drugs were handed over to the Moronthuduwa Police for further legal action.
On receipt of an intelligence tip-off naval personnel attached to the Western Naval Command in coordination with the STF personnel in Rajagiriya conducted 2 raids in Mawanella and Wattala localities and apprehended 3 persons for keeping illegal cigarette in their possession on 30th October and 01st November. During the arrest the officials had seized 750 bundles of Top Mountain and 170 bundles of Gold Leaf illegal cigarette. The suspects and the consignment of cigarette were handed over to the Kiribathgoda and Mawanella Police Stations.
Naval personnel attached to the Northwestern Naval Command with the assistance of STF personnel in Puttalam, during a raid, nabbed 3 persons who were illegally transporting timber by a lorry on 01st November in Puthukuduerippu. Accordingly, 35 logs of margosa and palu were found from the lorry. The suspects and timber logs were handed over to the Forest Conservation Department in Puttalam for further investigations.
