31 July 2020 12:00 am
By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya
A suspect was arrested by the Navy for smuggling nearly one tonne of dried turmeric into the country in the seas off Oluthuduwai in Mannar.
Naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command, during a patrol at the Oluthuduwai beach, Mannar had interrogated a person who was suspiciously transferring several delivery sacks.
Further investigations into the incident revealed that there were 20 sacks containing dried turmeric weighing around 999.500 kilogrammes. The turmeric stock had been smuggled into the island by sea.
The seized items were handed over to the Customs Office of Jaffna for onward legal action.
Due to COVID -19 concerns, the detained suspect was referred to the Public Health Inspector of Mannar for quarantine process, through the Medical Officer of Health.