The Sri Lanka Navy successfully dismantled a smuggling racket in the wee hours of today (12th July 2023), seizing about 08kg and 450g of gold, attempted to be smuggled via sea, during a special operation mounted in Wannimundalama lagoon area, Kalpitiya. The operation also led to the apprehension of 02 suspects and a dinghy used for this illegal act.

The Sri Lanka Navy today (11th July 2023) rendered assistance to bring ashore a fisherman with burn injuries, sustained following an accident, while aboard a local multiday fishing trawler. The fisherman has experienced this unfortunate incident while at sea approximately 431 nautical miles (about 798km) off the coast of Galle, southwestern of Sri Lanka.

The Navy apprehended 12 individuals on 07th and 08th July 2023 off Chalei and Chundikulam in Jaffna and Illuppukadawai in Mannar, while they were engaging in illegal fishing activities. During these special operations, the Navy also held 1870 illegally harvested sea cucumbers, unauthorized fishing gear and 04 dinghies used for these illegal acts.

The Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard conducted a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters in the dark hours of 08th July 2023. The operation led to the apprehension of 02 Indian trawlers with 15 Indian nationals poaching in Sri Lankan waters off the Delft Island, Jaffna.

The barge ‘Atulya’, towed by tug ‘Avadh’, en route from Maldives to India drifted to the Nadukuda coast in Mannar south, northwest of Sri Lanka, on the evening of 07th July 2023. The tug consists of nine (09) crew members who are Indian and Indonesian nationals. Meanwhile, necessary measures to get things back on track as per the procedure are currently being coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo at the Navy Headquarters.

Special search operations carried out by the Navy in the lagoon of Allappiddi, Kayts and beach area of Maniyanthottam, Ariyalai led to the recovery of 65 Water Gel sticks – a type of commercial explosive, 18 non electric detonators and 155cm long safety fuse on 04th and 05th July 2023.

The Sri Lanka Navy apprehended a suspect (01) with 1947kg of smuggled Kendu leaves, during a special operation conducted in Karative beach area in Puttalam this morning (02nd July 2023).

The Sri Lanka Navy recovered over 92kg of Kerala cannabis, during a search operation conducted in Iluppukadawai lagoon area, Mannar on 30th June 2023.

A special operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy about 573 nautical miles (about 1061km) off Dondra, south of Sri Lanka, led to the interception of a foreign trawler with over 900g of heroin on 22nd June 2023. During the operation, carried by SLNS Sayura, 08 foreign nationals who were aboard the drug-carrying trawler were also apprehended. The trawler and suspects were brought to the port of Colombo on the morning of 28th June 2023 for onward legal proceedings.

The Sri Lanka Navy and Police STF nabbed 02 suspects with Kerala cannabis during a combined search operation conducted in Meera Nagar of Thambalagamuwa, Trincomalee on 26th June 2023. Kerala cannabis weighing over 1kg, made ready for sale, had been stashed in a house in the area, when they were recovered.