Twenty three persons engaged in illegal acts apprehended by Navy
 

Navy apprehended 23 persons engaged in illegal acts at several locations in island in the past few days. Accordingly, 3 persons for possessing Kerala cannabis, a persons for possessing intoxicating drugs, a person for keeping counterfeit money, a person with heroin, 2 suspects for fishing dolphins, 2 racketeers with sandalwood logs and 13 persons engaged in illegal fishing were taken into naval custody.

Based on intelligence information received, naval personnel attached to the Western Naval Command in coordination with STF officers attached to the Bambalapitiya Police nabbed a persons with 1g 740 mg of heroin and a sum of Rs. 26,060, during a raid conducted in Gaswatta area, Peliyagoda on 27 November. The arrested person, heroin and money were handed over to the Peliyagoda Police for onward legal action.

On receipt of intelligence information to the Navy, naval personnel attached to the Southern Naval Command together with STF personnel attached to Pattiyapola arrested 2 racketeers with 15 kg of white sandalwood logs in front of the Carlton Pre-School in Tangalle on 28 November. The racketeers who were transferring the sandalwood logs by a motorcycle when arrested, were handed over to the Tangalle Police for legal action, with seized items.

Meanwhile, a suspect with 100 tablets of intoxicating drug Tramadol was apprehended, at the Kinniya bridge, by naval troops attached to the Eastern Naval Command during a search carried out on 29 November. The tablet which is misused as an intoxicating drug is prohibited to be kept in possession without a medical prescription. The suspect and tablets were handed over to the Kinniya Police for onward legal action.

Following an intelligence tip-off, naval personnel belonging to the Eastern Naval Command in coordination with Division Vice Squad Trincomalee arrested a person with a Rs. 1,000 counterfeit note. The arrest was made in Erakkandi, Trincomalee on 01 December. The arrested person along with the counterfeit note was handed over to the Kuchchaweli Police for further action.

On receipt of information, naval personnel attached to the Coast Guard Station in Beruwala arrested 2 persons with 27 kg of dolphin flesh during a search conducted at the Beruwala fisheries harbour on 01 December. The suspects were taken into custody while they were making the dolphin flesh ready to transport by a lorry. The arrested suspects along with the lorry and dolphin flesh were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Kalutara for further investigations.

Based on intelligence information received by Navy, naval troops attached to the Western Naval Command together with STF personnel attached to Gonahena nabbed 3 suspects with 7.5 kg of Kerala cannabis during a raid carried out in Wellawatta on 03 December. The arrest was made while the stock of cannabis being transferred to sell by a van. The suspects, cannabis and van were handed over to the Wellawatta Police Station for onward investigations.

Naval personnel belonging to the North Central Naval Command arrested 13 persons for engaging in illegal fishing using unauthorized nets, without valid fishing passes, in the sea area off Thalaimannar Pier on 02 December. Along with the persons 5 dinghies, 3 unauthorized fishing nets, 07 conch shells and 670 kg of illegally caught fish were also taken into naval custody. The arrested persons and items were handed over to the Thalaimannar Police for further legal action.

Meanwhile, 1.800 kg of Kerala cannabis and an electric scale were recovered by naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command and officials attached to the Mannar Police, during a joint search conducted in Pesalei on 02 December. The recovered items were handed over to the Mannar Police for further investigations.