Navy renders assistance to apprehend 06 suspects with over 02 tons of dried turmeric

Special operations conducted by the Navy in Punapitiya, Udappuwa and Sinnapadu, Kalpitiya on 06th and 07th October 2020 made way to apprehend 03 suspects with over 1700kg of smuggled dried turmeric as well as to arrest 03 more suspects with over 344kg of dried turmeric and a lorry in Wankaleipadu, Mannar, during another operation carried out with the Police.

Accordingly, the Northwestern Naval Command during a special operation conducted in the beach area of Punapitiya, Udappuwa apprehended 03 suspects with 27 sacks containing over 1297kg of smuggled dried turmeric, while the suspects were loading the turmeric stock to a lorry. As such, the lorry and a dinghy used to transfer the stock of turmeric were also held by the Navy. In the meantime, the same naval command managed to recover 19 sacks staffed with about 403kg of dried turmeric hidden in a shrub, during another operation carried out in Sinnapadu area, Kalpitiya. Moreover a coordinated search conducted by the North Central Naval Command with the Mannar Police STF in Wankaleipadu, Mannar led to the recovery of over 344kg of dried turmeric in 09 delivery sacks on a suspicious lorry. The consignment of turmeric had been stashed among dried chilies, big onion and garcinia (goraka) when they were recovered. Three (03) suspects in connection to the incident were also held by the raiding party on this occasion.

The accused in connection to these racketeering were identified as residents of Konthanthive, Palliwasalpadu, Mannar, Ukuwela and Alawathugoda areas, aged from 34 to 48. Meanwhile, the suspects together with the stocks of dried turmeric were handed over to the Customs Office in Katunayake, Customs Preventive Office in Sinnapadu and Mannar Police for onward investigations.