Sri Lanka Navy personnel have recovered around 157kg of Kerala cannabis during operations conducted in the sea area of Kankesanthurai.

The Navy says it has been playing a pivotal role to support the national endeavor to ward off the drug menace from the country, by expanding its anti-drug operations. 

As an extension of these operations, the Navy managed to recover about 157kg of Kerala cannabis, during successful operations conducted in the sea area of Kankesanthurai on 04th February, it said.

“The drug smugglers are constantly attempting to bring narcotics via sea routes, with the intention of distributing them in the island. However, the Navy has been able to successfully foil a number of such attempts by drug smugglers.”

Incidentally, 05 packages of Kerala cannabis which were in the sea area of Kankesanthurai have been recovered, during a naval operation conducted yesterday (04th February). The packages included 43kg and 400g of Kerala cannabis and the area where the parcels were found had been marked by a buoy. 

During further search in the same sea area, the Navy recovered another 03 packages containing about 113kg and 700g of Kerala cannabis.

Accordingly, the Navy has been able to find 157kg of Kerala cannabis, during successful naval operations conducted yesterday. 

Meanwhile, the Navy was also able to recover 988kg of Kerala cannabis during naval operations carried out in past 35 days of this year. Significantly, over 700kg of the same substance has been seized during operations conducted in northern waters.