Navy assists apprehension of 06 persons engaged in illegal acts
 

Six (06) persons who engaged in illegal acts at several locations in the island were apprehended by Sri Lanka Navy during the past few days. The suspects were held for engaging in illegal fishing and possession of drugs.

On information received by the North Central Naval Command, a person who engaged in fishing using explosives was apprehended in South Bar area on 4^th June. A dinghy and 162kg of illegally caught fish were also taken into naval custody. The suspect along with the dinghy and fish stock was handed over to the Mannar Directorate of Fisheries for onward legal action.

Meanwhile, naval troops attached to the Eastern Naval Command, on routine patrol, found 02 unauthorized fishing nets and 13 other nets laid in restricted fishing zones of the Batticaloa lagoon, on 5^th June. The apprehended nets were handed over to Assistant Director of Fisheries of Batticaloa for further action.

Based on information received by the North Central Naval Command, a group of naval personnel recovered 8 gunny bags of Tendu leaves (wrappings for Beedi) from the 7^th sand dunes in Mannar on 05^th June. The recovered bags contained 502.59kg of Tendu leaves and it is suspected that they might have been brought to the country from India via sea. The stock was handed over to the Jaffna Customs for onward action.

Further, on 5^th June, naval personnel attached to the Northwestern Naval Command, during routine sea patrol, apprehended three (03) persons for engaging in illegal fishing in Mattutivu area. Two dinghies, one banned fishing net and 05kg of illegally caught fish were also seized. The apprehended persons along with the fishing gear and fish stock were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries of Puttalam for onward legal action.

Following information received by the Northern Naval Command, naval personnel recovered 54g of heroin washed ashore on the Sudaladi beach in Nainativu on 07^th June. The heroin concealed in a polythene package, was handed over to the Jaffna Police for legal action.

Meanwhile, a person engaged in illegal fishing at Erakkandi sea area, was apprehend by naval personnel on routine patrol, belonging to the Eastern Naval Command on 07^th June. Three banned fishing nets, 12kg of illegally caught fish, 5kg of sea cucumber and a dingy were also taken into naval custody. The apprehended person and the items possessed by him were handed over to the Nelaveli Wildlife Conservation Office for further legal proceedings.

On information received by the Navy, a suspect with three thousand and six hundred (3600) tablets of intoxicating drug “Tramadol” was nabbed during a raid carried out by the naval personnel attached to the Western Naval Command with the assistance of STF, in Negombo area on 8^th June. The suspect along with the stock of tablets and a three wheeler used for the transportation of drugs was hand over to the Negombo Police for onward legal action.