Lankans held with 250 kg narcotics in Indian waters, drugs purchased from Pak fishing vessel

The contraband was jettisoned by the narcotics smugglers’ on seeing the Indian Coast Guard vessel.

Acting on specific intelligence, the Indian Coast Guard intercepted a Sri Lankan fishing boat ‘Akarsha Duwa’ off the Vizhinjam coast in Kerala on Sunday, a press release from NCB zonal director Amit Ghawate said.

On Monday, the NCB Kochi team took over the custody of the boat and its six Sri Lankan occupants. A thorough search of the boat was carried out by the team and nothing suspicious was found. However, during investigation, all six of the Lankan fishermen admitted to have procured 100 kg of hashish and 150 kg of methamphetamine at high seas from a Pakistani fishing vessel.While on their way back to Sri Lanka, the Indian Coast Guard ships had approached them and on seeing the ships, the Lankans had jettisoned the contraband. The contraband was packed in 250 packets and kept in 5 bundles. Based on material evidences collected and their voluntary statements under the NDPS Act, all the six sailors, identified as T Kurera, W Fernando, C Deshappiya, M Jayathissa, W Sadaruwan and W Arunakumarhave been arrested for attempt to traffic substances under the NDPS Act in Indian territorial waters.