Navy and Coast Guard seize over 475 kg of drugs on southern coast

The Navy and Coast Guard seized more than 475 kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin during a joint operation on the country's southern coast on Saturday, the navy said.

The operation was conducted at Naotunna beach in Thalalla, Matara, following information received by the Coast Guard.

Search teams recovered 10 sacks and 11 travel bags containing suspected narcotics, alongside a dinghy believed to have been used to smuggle the consignment.

Examinations conducted with assistance from the Police Narcotics Bureau confirmed more than 200 kilograms of methamphetamine in 200 packages and over 257 kilograms of heroin in 275 packages, the navy said.

The drugs and dinghy will be handed over to the bureau for further legal proceedings.

Deputy Defense Minister Aruna Jayasekara, who inspected the consignment alongside Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala and senior naval officials, said joint Navy and Coast Guard operations over the past year had seized drugs with an estimated street value of 97 billion Sri Lankan rupees.

He said coordinated operations involving the armed forces, police and local and foreign intelligence agencies would continue to prevent narcotics from entering the country.

Jayasekara urged the public to provide information to law enforcement authorities through the dedicated hotlines 1818 and 1997.