To curb illicit activities within Sri Lanka's maritime and coastal territories, the Navy maintains ongoing vigilance and conducts regular operations.

As an extension of these efforts, SLNS Vijaya in the Northwestern Naval Command conducted an operation in the Karaitivu sea area by deploying Inshore Patrol Craft. In this operation, naval personnel intercepted a suspicious dinghy in the sea area and apprehended 02 suspects with 15 sacks of smuggled insecticides.

In a subsequent search operation carried out in the Palliyawatta sea area, an additional seven bags of smuggled insecticides, which had been left behind by racketeers, were discovered. It is suspected that the smugglers may have forsaken them in response to the ongoing and persistent naval operations.

The suspects held in the operation are residents of Kalpitiya, from 43 to 46 years of age. Meanwhile, the suspect along with smuggled insecticides and the dinghy were handed over to the Katunayake Customs Preventive Office for onward legal action.

SLNavy