News
Kerala ganja smuggling attempt thwarted near maritime boundary
Pandemic has not dampened cannabis smuggling across Palk Strait
…over 100 kg of contraband found in separate operations
Kerala cannabis continued to be smuggled into Sri Lanka despite naval operations in the country’s territorial waters to prevent illegal operations, authoritative sources told The Island yesterday (2).
Mid-sea transfers were taking place on both sides of the Indo-Lanka maritime boundary, a senior defence official said.
The latest narcotics detection was made by the SLN close to the maritime boundary on 01 June. The SLN intercepted a dinghy carrying 29 kilos and 800 g of Kerala cannabis. “We took the dinghy along with stock of contraband and two suspects into custody,” an SLN spokesperson said. The offer estimated the street value of the recovered stock at Rs 8 mn.
Responding to another query, the official said that such operations were conducted in terms of Covid-19 protocols in place to prevent the transmission of the raging pandemic.
The suspects have been identified as residents of Irukkalampiddi, Mannar. They along with Kerala cannabis and the dinghy were handed over to the Talaimannar Police for legal action.
Meanwhile, a joint SLA-SLN foot patrol on the night of May 30 recovered 48 kilos and 900 g of Kerala cannabis hidden in a dinghy in the Kottadi beach area, in the Muniya fishing village, Point Pedro.
The consignment of cannabis had been concealed in polythene sacks, sources said, adding that the Navy had also seized two motorcycles believed to have been used by those who brought the contraband to the location.
The SLN estimated the street value of the Kottadi recovery at Rs 14 mn.
The SLN said that the contraband and the motorcycles had been handed over to the Point Pedro police for further investigations.
The SLN said that a subsequent search operation carried out in the same area on the following day had yielded a stock of Kerala cannabis weighing around 31kg and 835g .
The Navy recovered the contraband packed in two polythene sacks left behind a closed building.
The SLN believes that due to the detection made the previous day, the smugglers may have left behind this stock of Kerala cannabis on this location to fetch it later.
The street value of this stock of Kerala cannabis is believed to be over Rs. 9 million (SF)
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Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
The Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Russian House in Colombo unveiled a plaque at the public library Colombo today (29th April) in honour of the 80th anniversary of victory day.
Victory Day is celebrated on the 9th of May, the day Nazi Germany was defeated in World War II. It is an important date in the Russian calendar and an integral part of Russian culture.
The plaque was jointly unveiled by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka Lenav Dzhagaryan and Ms Maria Popova Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and Director of the Russian House in Colombo
News
Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
It has been recognized that the state enterprises should be re – structured and maintained with proper administration with the assistance of local or foreign investments without being a continuous burden to the General Treasury and the country’s economy. Therefore, it is the policy of the new government to introduce an efficient and accountable mechanism in the regard. An initial draft named “State Commercial Enterprises Management Draft Bill” has been already prepared to introduce a new legal framework required for maintaining after performing necessary restructuring and with proper management of government owned business companies. Thereon, it will be possible to totally free the state entrepreneurship establishments from political influences and appoint professionals with proficiency for its board of directors.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to grant policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for the said initial draft and appoint a special committee with the following composition to submit appropriate proposals for further enhancing after reviewing the initial draft:
• Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development – (Chairman)
• Hon. Sunil Handunneththi Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship
• Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co – operative Development
• Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Sooriyapperuma Deputy Minister of Finance Plan Implementation
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to appoint Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi, a special grade officer in Sri Lanka Administrative Service who served in the post of Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, to the post of Commissioner General of Official Languages with immediate effect.
Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi appointed Commissioner General of Official Languages
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