160,000 smuggled cigarettes and prescription drugs seized in Kalpitiya

The Navy took hold of 160,000 smuggled foreign cigarettes and 22,100 prescription tablets from a dinghy abandoned in the beach area of Ippanthivu, during a search carried out in the evening of 06 Mar 25.

The Sri Lanka Navy remains ever alert and conducts patrols and search operations in the coastal areas of the island to prevent the influx of illegal items.

Based on information received by SLNS Vijaya in the Northwestern Naval Command, the search operation was conducted by a group of Special Boat Squadron personnel attached to the Naval Detachment Uchchamuni. Following the operation off the Ippanthivu Island and its beach vicinity, these 160,000 foreign cigarettes and 22,100 prescription tablets, believed to have been smuggled in, were recovered from the dingy abandoned at the beach.

It is believed that smugglers would have left behind the consignment of foreign fags and prescription tablets at the beach, due to constant naval presence in the area.

The seized stock of cigarettes, prescription drugs and the dinghy will be handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau, Puttalam for onward legal action.