7,000 foreign cigarettes seized in Puttalam; one arrested

The Navy along with the Police Special Task Force (STF) arrested a person and seized 7,000 foreign cigarettes during a coordinated search operation in Mullipuram, Puttalam on 9 August 2026.

The operation was conducted following information received by SLNS Thambapanni, under the Northwestern Naval Command. Accordingly, naval personnel from SLNS Vijaya, together with the Puttalam Police STF, searched a house in the Mullipuram area and found 7,000 foreign cigarettes stored illegally.

The suspect was identified as a resident of Norochcholai area, aged 49. The individual and the seized cigarettes were handed over to the Puttalam Police for further legal action.