The Navy arrested two Indian nationals who tried to smuggle 710 kgs of the banned agrochemical ‘glyphosate’ in the seas off Mannar on Saturday.
An Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) attached to the North Central Naval Command intercepted an Indian fishing dhow in Sri Lankan territorial waters, south of the Mannar Lighthouse on Saturday morning.
When the dhow was searched 710 kgs of agrochemical substance ‘glyphosate’ was recovered and the two Indian nationals aboard were subsequently arrested, a spokesman for the Navy said. It is believed that the suspects had attempted to smuggle the consignment into Sri Lanka via sea in the guise of fishermen.
“The apprehended Indian nationals, consignment of glyphosate, fishing dhow and other equipment were brought to the SLNS Gajaba Naval Base and were subsequently handed over to the Mannar Police for legal action,” the Navy spokesman added.