Navy assists to apprehend 24 persons for engaging in illegal acts
 

Sri Lanka Navy assisted to apprehend 24 persons engaged in illegal acts at various locations in the island during the past few days. These suspects were held for engaging in illegal fishing, using explosive for fishing, treasure mining and selling expired drugs.

Accordingly, Naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command apprehended 02 persons who engaged in illegal fishing in the seas 11 nautical miles north of Paul point, on last 27^th Aug. Along with the suspects 12 colour fish caught by them, a dinghy and 03 banned nets were taken into Naval custody and they were handed over to Assistant Director of Fisheries-Trincomalee for onward action.

A troop of Naval personnel attached to the South Eastern Naval Command apprehended six persons (06) who engaged in fishing activities without fishing passes in the seas off Kalmunai on last 28th Aug. Two dinghies and two banned nets were also nabbed and they along with the suspects were handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries-Oluvil for legal proceedings.

Further on the same day, six persons who engaged in illegal fishing were nabbed by the Naval troops attached to the Eastern Naval Command. Along with the persons a dinghy, a banned net and two sticks of water gel were also held and the persons/items apprehended were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector -Muthur for legal action.

Meanwhile, Naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command apprehended 09 persons who were trying to mine a treasure in Sinnaweli area, on 30^th Aug. There, a three wheeler, motor bike and gears used for treasure mining were also taken into Naval custody. The held persons and other gears were handed over to Serunuwara Police for necessary legal action.

A troop of Naval personnel attached to Western Naval Command in coordination with the officials of Food and Drugs Investigation Unit in Gampaha apprehended a person who practiced the selling of various expired drugs at Alakanda area in wattala on 31^st Aug. 1290 tablets of different types of medicines possessed by the suspect were also taken into Naval custody and they were handed over to Drugs Investigation Unit in Gampaha for legal action.

A troop of Naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command on foot patrol in lagoon area of Batticoloa recovered 26 banned nets which were laid for fishing, on 1^st Sep. and they were handed over to Assistant Director of Fisheries-Batticoloa for onward legal action.