- Navy seizes Rs. 1.5bn worth of heroin and ‘ice’ in southern seas
- Public urged to provide information on narcotics trafficking through emergency hotlines 1818 and 1997
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara, said yesterday that there was no room for drug traffickers in the country’s territorial waters as the Sri Lanka Navy had intensified its surveillance and operations.
Speaking following the seizure of over 101kg of heroin and ‘ice’ worth more than Rs. 1.5 billion in the southern seas, he said the Navy continued to strengthen its operations under the Government’s ‘A Nation United’ national mission to prevent narcotics from entering the country.
Jayasekara said the Navy had intensified surveillance and operations in surrounding waters to disrupt narcotics trafficking as part of its responsibility for safeguarding national security.
He noted that the drug menace had caused serious damage to the national economy, social development and the country’s younger generation, including schoolchildren.
The Sri Lanka Navy has seized approximately 101.87kg of heroin and methamphetamine, commonly known as ‘ice’, worth over Rs. 1.5 billion, from a local multi-day fishing trawler intercepted in the southern seas, taking five suspects into custody.
The trawler, carrying six sacks of narcotics, was intercepted on the high seas south of Sri Lanka and brought to Galle Harbour yesterday (13) for further investigation and legal proceedings.
A subsequent examination, conducted with the assistance of the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB), confirmed that the consignment comprised 58.736kg of heroin packed in 52 parcels and 43.134kg of methamphetamine packed in 50 parcels. The estimated gross street value of the drugs exceeds Rs. 1.5 billion.
The suspects, narcotics and fishing trawler were subsequently handed over to the PNB for further investigations.
The inspection was conducted in the presence of Deputy Minister Jayasekara, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Damian Fernando, senior naval officers and officials of the PNB.
Under the national mission, the Navy, together with the Coast Guard, armed forces, Police, PNB and Special Task Force, had strengthened anti-narcotics operations on land and at sea through intelligence-sharing with local and foreign agencies, he said.
The Deputy Minister added that the Ministries of Defence and Public Security had strengthened the Navy’s surveillance capabilities through technical equipment and devices, while new legislation had been introduced to target both the supply and demand for narcotics.
He asserted that Government support for law enforcement agencies had strengthened efforts to close all routes through which drugs could enter the country, whether by sea, air or through ports, and warned drug traffickers and their facilitators to abandon the illegal trade.
He also reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to rescuing fishermen in distress at sea and protecting those engaged in legitimate fishing activities, warning that anyone using fishing as a cover for illegal operations would face the full force of the law.
Jayasekara expressed appreciation to the Navy and other agencies involved in the operation, which was conducted following several days of deep-sea surveillance based on intelligence shared by the State Intelligence Service and other intelligence agencies.
He also urged the public to provide information on narcotics trafficking to law enforcement authorities through the emergency hotlines 1818 or 1997, while commending the media for its role in raising public awareness of the drug menace.
Meanwhile, joint operations conducted by the Navy and Coast Guard since the launch of the ‘A Nation United’ national mission in October 2025 have resulted in narcotics seizures with an estimated gross street value exceeding Rs. 115 billion.
Operations conducted during 2026 alone have accounted for narcotics seizures valued at more than Rs. 74 billion, the Navy said.
