Navy’s heightened vigilance leads to recovery of nearly 907kg of smuggled dried turmeric

In continuous efforts to curb smuggling, the Sri Lanka Navy took hold of approximately 907kg of smuggled dried turmeric during search operations conducted on 06 and 07 Apr 26 in the coastal vicinity of Bangalawatta and Sethawadi in Kalpitiya.

The first breakthrough occurred on the night of 06 April, when a team from the Alankuda Naval Detachment of SLNS Vijaya, under the Northwestern Naval Command, searching the Bangalawatta beach area. During the patrol, naval personnel recovered 02 suspicious sacks hidden along the coast, containing nearly 80kg of dried turmeric, suspected to have been smuggled into the country.

Following up on this momentum, SLNS Vijaya launched a joint operation with the Kalpitiya Police on the evening of 07 April at the Sethawadi beach. This coordinated effort led to the recovery of another 16 sacks containing a further 827kg of dried turmeric.

The entire consignment of seized turmeric was handed over to the Katunayake Customs Preventive Office and the Kalpitiya Police for further investigation and onward legal action.