Navy seizes Rs. 1.5 bn drug haul off northern coast

The Navy has seized nearly 81 kilos of narcotics with a street value of Rs. 1.5 billion, during a special operation off the Kusumanthurai coast in Mathagal, in the North, Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara said yesterday.

Addressing a special media briefing on the seizure, Jayasekara said the narcotics haul comprised nearly 35 kg of heroin and around 45 kg of crystal methamphetamine (‘Ice’).

He described it as the largest drug seizure made in the North in recent years.

Jayasekara said narcotics seized by the Navy during operations in 2025 had an estimated street value of around Rs. 75 billion, while the street value of drugs seized so far this year stood at approximately Rs. 56 billion.

Navy Commander Vice Admiral Damien Fernando said the latest operation had been launched following intelligence received by the Northern Naval Command.

Several teams, including personnel from the Sri Lanka Naval Ship Agbo establishment, and the Deployment Division, took part in the operation, he said.

Fernando said the seized narcotics had been handed over for further examination with the assistance of the Police Narcotics Bureau in Jaffna.

He said the Navy was conducting anti-narcotics operations through specialised teams and would further intensify such operations.

The Navy was operating in a complex environment and planned to make greater use of technology in future operations, Fernando said.He added that the Navy was already receiving the equipment required for this purpose, enabling it to expand the scope of its operations.