Navy seizes Kerala cannabis worth over Rs. 65Mn in northern seas

Three suspects were arrested with 216kg and 750g of Kerala cannabis which has a street value of over Rs. 65 million by the Navy during a special operation conducted in seas north of Kankasanthurai in Jaffna.

The Navy said that the Inshore Patrol Craft P 177 of the Northern Naval Command made this interception in northern waters, after spotting a suspicious dinghy speeding off towards land. During further search of the dinghy the Navy managed to seize Kerala cannabis in packages stuffed in six gunny sacks, 19kg of dried turmeric along with the dinghy they used for this illegal act.

It is suspected that the smugglers might have retrieved the stock of Kerala cannabis to the dinghy at the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) to smuggle them into the island.

The suspects held in this operation were identified as residents of Walalai in Kankasanthurai, from 22 to 34 years of age. The accused together with the stock of Kerala cannabis, dried turmeric and the dinghy were handed over to the Kankasanthurai Police for onward legal action.