An elderly person was taken into custody when the police raided a quarter-acre cannabis chena and a kasippu distilling den at Palatupana near the entrance of Yala national sanctuary.
The Hambantota District Crime Detection and Raid Unit said 510 cannabis plants, 40 liters of Goda, a consignment of distilled kasippu and kasippu distilling utensils were taken into custody. The suspect and the items were handed over to Tissamaharama Police. Police said tree top huts were set up in the vicinity by the suspect to be rented out for tourists. Tissamaharama Police said the suspect was released on a bail of Rs. 50,000 by Tissamaharama Magistrate Kanchanamali Nishantha Gunasekera after he pleaded guilty to cultivating a cannabis chena.