Seven-Day Detention Granted for Suspects in Major Offshore Drug Seizure

The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) has obtained court approval to detain suspects arrested in connection with a major drug seizure uncovered during a Sri Lanka Navy operation at sea. The seven-day detention orders were issued after the suspects were produced before the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Court, police confirmed.The drugs were first detected on December 20 when Navy personnel inspected a multi-day fishing vessel operating off the southern coastline. The vessel, along with five individuals on board, was escorted to the Dikkowita Harbour on December 24. Subsequent searches at the harbour uncovered a large cache of narcotics, including 21 kilograms of heroin and 172 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ‘Ice’.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the illicit cargo had been transferred to the fishing vessel from a foreign ship believed to be of Iranian origin. In a related development, the PNB arrested six additional suspects at the Mirissa Fisheries Harbour, who are suspected of assisting in bringing the drugs ashore.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Navy reported that it has seized around 99 boats and multi-day fishing vessels used for narcotics trafficking so far this year, from January 1 to December 24. During the same period, approximately 360 suspects were taken into custody.

The Navy also revealed that more than 4,000 kilograms of illegal drugs have been intercepted in 2025, including nearly 3,000 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and over 1,050 kilograms of heroin. In addition, authorities seized 33 kilograms of hashish, more than 1.6 million narcotic pills, and around 5,900 kilograms of locally and foreign-grown cannabis during the year.