Sri Lanka Navy has been conducting regular patrols to prevent the arrival of illegal immigrants and smuggling of contraband into the country, via sea. During a similar patrol conducted in the beach area of Oluthuduwai in Mannar, naval personnel attached to the North Central Command had detected 02 gunny sacks hidden in close by scrubs. Subsequent search revealed that the sacks were stuffed with dried turmeric weighing about 57.2kg. The Navy, on a previous occasion, also seized 999kg and 500g of turmeric believed to have been smuggled via sea routes and it is suspected that today’s consignment might have been smuggled on a similar note.

Meanwhile, the seized haul of turmeric will be handed over to the Jaffna Customs Office for onward legal action.