Navy seizes over 108,000 smuggled pharmaceutical tablets off Kalpitiya

During a search operation conducted in the Kandakkuliya sea area of Kalpitiya on 12 Jan 26, the Navy took hold of a stock of 108,480 pharmaceutical tablets, attempted to be smuggled into the country.

The operation was carried out by the Kandakkuliya Naval Detachment of SLNS Vijaya, under the Northern Central Naval Command. During the search, naval personnel inspected two (02) abandoned sacks found in the Kandakkuliya sea area and recovered this stock of pharmaceutical tablets. It is believed that smugglers might have abandoned the stock due to heightened naval surveillance in the area.

The seized pharmaceutical tablets were subsequently handed over to the Katunayake Customs Preventive Office for onward legal proceedings.

Furthermore, during operations conducted throughout the year 2025, the Sri Lanka Navy took into custody a total of one million six hundred eighty-three thousand seven hundred twenty-two (1,683,722) pharmaceutical tablets that were being illegally smuggled into the country and handed over them for legal action. The Navy continues to play a vital role in curbing illegal activities, including smuggling take place via maritime routes.