Navy seizes over 898kg of smuggled Kendu leaves in separate operations

The Sri Lanka Navy seized more than 898kg of smuggled Kendu leaves during separate search operations in the Puttalam and Negombo lagoons on 27 September 2026.

Naval personnel attached to SLNS Vijaya in the Northwestern Naval Command took hold of 20 sacks containing 746kg of smuggled Kendu leaves, during a search operation in the Puttalam lagoon area.

In a similar operation, personnel from SLNS Kelani in the Western Naval Command searched the Negombo lagoon area and recovered 4 additional sacks containing over 152kg of Kendu leaves.

The seized consignment of Kendu leaves recovered from Puttalam were handed over to the Kalpitiya Police Station, while the contraband seized in Negombo was handed over to the Katunayake Customs Preventive Office for further legal proceedings.