Four nabbed with nearly 1,000kg of smuggled turmeric

Sri Lanka Navy, on Thursday (19 Jan.), seized two consignments  carrying a collective of nearly 1,000 kilograms of smuggled turmeric in Jaffna, while four suspects have also been apprehended.

Accordingly, two consignments amounting to a total of 989 kilograms of dried turmeric and four suspects involved in the racket were nabbed by the Navy in two separate operations carried out on Thursday night in seas off Gurunagar and Mandaitivu, Jaffna.

The Inshore Patrol Craft deployed by SLNS Kanchadewa in the Northern Naval Command had searched a suspicious dinghy off the Mandaitivu Island on 19 Jan., which led to the seizure of nearly 496 kilograms and 54 grams of dried turmeric, packed in 14 sacks.

Another 48 kilograms and 30 grams of turmeric was also retrieved by Naval personnel, in a sack that had been thrown overboard by the suspects.

Meanwhile, later that night, the Navy Marines attached to SLNS Welusumana also searched a suspicious dinghy off Gurunagar, which led to the seizure of 12 sacks stuffed with 445 kilograms and 800 grams of smuggled dried turmeric.

Two more suspects were also arrested in this search operation, Sri Lanka Navy reported.

Accordingly, all four suspects, who have been identified as residents of Mannar aged between 33 and 51, are due to be handed over to the Jaffna Custom, along with the two dinghies and the stock of seized turmeric.