Navy assists to apprehend 17 persons for engaging in illegal activities and recovers 02 dead bodies of drowned persons
 

Navy rendered assistance to apprehend 17 persons engaged in illegal activities and recovered 02 dead bodies of drowned persons at separate locations in the island over the last couple of days. The persons were arrested for engaging in illegal fishing, keeping intoxicating drugs, counterfeit money and illegal cigarette in their possession and selling Kerala cannabis.

Naval personnel attached to the Northwestern Naval Command apprehended 03 persons engaged in illegal fishing without valid license in the sea area off Lakvijaya Power Station on 05 December. Along with the suspects, a dinghy and an outboard motor engine were taken into naval custody. The apprehended persons and their fishing gear were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries in Puttalam for onward investigations.

Meanwhile, on receipt of intelligence information, naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command in coordination with STF personnel in Pulmoddai arrested a suspect with 9 counterfeit notes of Rs 1,000 during a raid carried out in Kumburupiddi on 09 December. During the raid, a computer and a laser printer were also taken into custody. The suspect, counterfeit notes and his belongings used for the illegal act were handed over to the Kuchchaweli Police for onward action.

Based on intelligence information received by the Navy, a person with 1.300 kg of Kerala cannabis was arrested by the naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command together with STF personnel attached to Kilinochchi Police, at Mathale Junction in Anuradhapura on 08 December. The arrest was made while the cannabis consignment was made ready to be sold. The arrested person and cannabis were handed over to the Anuradhapura Police for onward legal action.

On receipt of an intelligence tip-off received by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Station Waruna in Wellawatta, naval personnel attached to the same station with the assistance of the officials of District Criminal Office arrested a person who kept illegal cigarettes in his possession. The raid to arrest the suspect was conducted in Beruwala on 09 December and 210 cigarettes of Top Mount brand were found along with him. The suspect and cigarettes were handed over to the Beruwala Police Station for further action.

Further, on receipt of intelligence information, naval personnel attached to the Western Naval Command in coordination with STF personnel attached to Colombo conducted a joint raid to arrest 02 persons with illegal cigarette, in Kadawatha on 09 December. The troops seized 525 cartons of Top Mountain brand cigarettes along with the suspects. The arrested suspects and cigarettes were handed over to the Kadawatha Police for onward legal action.

Naval personnel onboard Inshore Patrol Craft attached to the Northwestern Naval Command arrested 07 persons for engaging in illegal fishing using unauthorized fishing nets in the sea areas off Kudiramalei and Kimbulbokka on 09 December. Accordingly, a dhinghy, a traditional boat (Wallam), 05 unauthorized fishing nets and 161 kg of illegally caught fish were also taken into naval custody. The arrested persons and fishing gear were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries in Puttalam for onward investigations.

On receipt of information by the North Central Naval Command, naval personnel attached to the same command together with officials attached to the Wariyapola Police Station apprehended 03 persons with 70,600 tablets of intoxicating drug Tramadol and money worth Rs. 52,040 during a raid conducted in Wariyapola on 09 December. The tablets of Tramadol were made ready to be sold by the suspect. The seized drugs, money and arrested persons were handed over to the Wariyapola Police for onward action.

Based on intelligence information, Naval personnel attached to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard at Beruwala, in coordination with Beruwala Police arrested 2 persons who kept 7180 nos of illegal cigarettes in their possession during a raid carried out in the area on 10th December. The suspects and the cigarettes were handed over to the Beruwala Police for further action.

Naval personnel attached to North Central Naval command apprehended 3persons for engaging in illegal fishing using unauthorized fishing nets in the sea area of Chalaipadu, on 10th December. Along with the arrested persons a dinghy, an unauthorized fishing net about 85 m in length were also taken into naval custody. The apprehended persons, dinghy and fishing gear were handed over to the office of the Fisheries Inspector, Punekari for further inspection.

Further, the Navy rendered assistance to recover two dead bodies of persons who drowned in Mihinthale and Hambegamuwa localities on 05 December. Responding to distress calls of drowning incidents at Kammalakkulam Wewa in Mihinthale and Weli Oya in Hambegamuwa the Navy undertook search operations and was able to recover their dead bodies subsequently.