Nine turmeric smugglers arrested

In two separate operations recently, the Sri Lanka Coastguard and the Sri Lanka Navy seized 2,889 kilos of turmeric.

In the first operation conducted by the Coastguard on Friday (5), they seized 2,219 kg of dried turmeric packed in 60 bags, after being smuggled into the country by sea at ‘Kolinjadiya,’ Wennappuwa.

The turmeric was seized while it was being loaded in to a freezer truck. Six suspects together with the seized item  and the freezer truck were taken into custody in this connection. They were handed over to the Customs Preventive Office, Katunayake for investigation.

In the other operation, conducted by the Navy the following day Saturday (6), they seized 670 kg of dried turmeric at Serakkuliya beach in Puttalam together with three suspects. 

The suspects, residents of Kalpitiya and Palliwasalthurai (Puttalam) together with the seized goods were handed over to the Customs Preventive Office, Katunayake for further investigations.

(PA)