Navy seizes stock of Kerala cannabis at Uduthurei, Vettalakeni

The Navy seized over 52kg stock of drugs belonging to the category of Kerala cannabis, during a special operation conducted in the sea area off Uduthurei in Vettalakeni on 11^th July 2020.

Sri Lanka Navy has been conducting regular operations to prevent illegal drugs being smuggled to the island via sea routes. During a similar operation carried out on the Naval intelligence information in the sea area off Uduthurei in Vettalakeni, naval patrol crafts attached to the Northern Naval Command spotted a suspicious dinghy abandoned and personnel were escaping. Subsequently, by searching the dinghy naval personnel recovered 13 parcels of KG packed in two sacks in the dinghy. Accordingly, the haul of KG and the dinghy were taken into naval custody.

The Navy together with the Police STF-Jaffna has already launched an operation to nab the escaped suspects.

During this operation the Navy was able to seize approximately 52kg and 680g of Kerala cannabis. The street value of the stock of cannabis is estimated to be about Rs. 7.8 million. The stock of cannabis and the dinghy was handed over to the Jaffna STF for onward investigation.

Meanwhile, the Navy has seized over 03 tons of Kerala cannabis during the past period upto now in this year.

This haul of Kerala cannabis was taken into naval custody by following proper hygiene and decontamination procedures due to COVID – 19 global pandemic.