The Navy is stepping up patrols to curb the smuggling activities via sea routes as well as to prevent the risk of the transmission of the pandemic within the country, as a result of smuggling activities and possible illegal immigration attempts towards Sri Lanka.
During a patrol in the seas off Kudiramalei Point, the Navy spotted an Indian fishing vessel in Sri Lankan waters across the International Maritime Boundary Line and the vessel was boarded by 07 Indian nationals.
In a separate patrol in the seas off Negombo on the same day, the Navy intercepted a suspicious dinghy approaching landward and took hold of about 522kg of onion seeds in 20 packages in the dinghy.
Due to the concerns of the transmission of COVID 19, the consignment of Kerala cannabis was set on fire and the 07 Indian nationals were repatriated back to their home waters.