by Norman Palihawadane
More than 100 kilos of heroin were recovered from Kapparathota Beach in Weligama yesterday morning (15), on information obtained from five suspects apprehended by the Navy.
The detection was made during a joint operation involving the Navy, Police and several other security agencies.
According to the Navy, the Police Special Task Force (STF) recovered 120 packets of the narcotic concealed in six sacks at the beach, along with two satellite phones and an internet connectivity device.
The operation was launched following information obtained from five suspects arrested by the Navy during a search operation in southern waters off Dondra on October 13, 2026.
The Navy had intercepted a suspicious local multi-day fishing trawler and taken the five suspects into custody during that operation.
The subsequent search operation involved the Navy, State Intelligence Service, Police, STF, Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) and Sri Lanka Coast Guard.
The five suspects have been handed over to the PNB for further legal action.The Navy said it would continue anti-narcotics operations along the country’s coastline under the national initiative ‘A Nation United’, with the support of the public and fishing community.