Chennai: Acting on specific inputs, Indian Navy intercepted a Sri Lankan fishing vessel DU Shashila in the high seas recenty.
The vessel along with its Sri Lankan occupants were brought to Mattancherry Wharf, Kochi and the Chennai unit of NCB took over the custody of both from Navy.
During the search and seizure formalities taken thereafter, a total of 337 Kgs of heroin was seized from the boat.
The narcotic drugs was found in the ice compartment of the vessel, concealed in 340 packets with marking of Crown symbol with words ‘KING 2021’ on each packet.
According to NCB, the investigation so far reveals that the seized heroin was sourced from the Makran Coast in a different boat, which had then delivered the heroin further to the Sri Lankan fishing boat DU Shashila in high seas.
The Sri Lankan vessel was to take the contraband further to Indian, Maldivian and Sri
Lankan destinations. The Makran Coast, which lies in the territories of Pakistan and Iran in the Baluchistan region, is considered to be a major port of origin for Afghan Heroin.
Based on the seizure of narcotic drug, incriminating evidences and their confessional statements under NDPS Act, all the five Sri Lankan sailors, namely M. Wimalasiri, M.
Somasiri, H.A. Peiris, W. Pereira and A. Pereira, have been arrested for attempt to traffic substances under NDPS Act in Indian territorial waters.
The increased maritime trafficking of heroin and other drugs sourced from the Afghanistan-Pakistan Region has been on the rise in the last few years. DTOs based in Sri Lanka and supplying drugs to multiple countries in the South Asian and South East Asian region including India smuggle large quantity of drugs this way.
This seizure is the fourth occasion where drug transporting Sri Lankan vessels being intercepted by the joint efforts of NCB, Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy in the last six months.