The Sri Lankan navy apprehended four Tamil Nadu fishermen on a country boat and seized 250kg of ganja from them in the wee hours of Tuesday, the Times of India reported.
The arrested were identified as P Nambuvel, 24, and S Murugaraj, 24, from Mukuntharayarchathiram near Rameswaram and two of their accomplices.
The fishermen were taken to Talaimannar naval base in Sri Lanka. Later, they were handed over to the Mannar police.
The police produced them in court that remanded them in judicial custody till July 16. “All of them have been lodged in Anuradhapuram prison after a Mannar court remanded them in judicial custody till July 16,” said U Arulanandam of the Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen.
Arulanandam said the fishermen would have been lured by liquor and money to transport the contraband to Sri Lanka. “In most of cases, the real smugglers escape, but the fishermen working for them are arrested,” he said.
Usually the Sri Lankan navy does not pay much attention to fishermen on country boats. However, of late the navy has started taking note of lone country boats straying into their waters to prevent drug smuggling.
It may be recalled that the Indian Coast Guard seized 652 kgs of ganja from Arichalmunai on June 15. It was suspected that the consignment was kept for the transit to Sri Lanka.
On June 14, the Thirupullani police impounded a truck and investigation revealed that the ganja consignment had come from Andhra Pradesh. (Times of India)
