25 SL fishermen arrested by ICG in March for heroin trafficking

Colombo (News 1st); 25 Sri Lankan fishermen were arrested by the Indian Coast Guard in March 2021 for heroin trafficking and are currently imprisoned in Indian jails.

Sri Lanka Police said on the 05th of March 2021 the Indian Coast Guard had carried out an operation in south-southwest off Minicoy in Indian territorial waters and arrested 06 Sri Lankan fishermen.

"One of the fishermen had thrown overboard a parcel containing 200 kg of heroin before the arrest," said DIG Ajith Rohana quoting Indian counterparts. In addition on the 15th of March three Sri Lankan boats carrying 19 crew members were detained by the Indian Coast Guard and an inspection had revealed they were transporting 300 kg of heroin, he said. Further 05 AK-47 Assault Rifles were seized from the possession of the 25 suspects who are currently detained in Indian Prisons, said the Police Spokesperson who added the Indian authorities have shared information with Sri Lanka Police. The vessel which was seized on the 05th of March had left Sri Lanka from Chilaw and the other three seized on the 15th of March had left the country from Tangalle, he added. The Police Narcotic Bureau and the INTERPOL Unit of Sri Lanka Police are working together to trace the main perpetrators involved in drug trafficking, said DIG Ajith Rohana. Indian media outlet NDTV quoting the Indian Coast Guard said, on the 05th of March, ICG ships and aircraft, in a coordinated operation in Lakshadweep seas, had successfully apprehended Sri Lankan boat Akarsha Duwa with 6 crew off Minicoy island. The crew had admitted of carrying 200 kg of high-grade Heroin and 60 kg Hashish which was jettisoned at sea on the sighting of ICG ships on patrol," the Coast Guard said. The crew of Akarsha Duwa admitted to having received 200 kg of heroin and 60 kg of hashish from a Pakistani boat around 400 nautical miles west off Lakshadweep, reported The Hindu. NDTV also noted that the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in an air-sea coordinated operation on March 15th recovered five AK-47 rifles with 1,000 live rounds and 300 Kg of heroin from a Srilankan vessel in Lakshadweep sea close to Minicoy Island. According to the coast guard, patrolling ICG units detected three suspicious boats off Minicoy Islands and intercepted them upon which recovery was made from Sri Lankan Fishing Boat Ravihansi.