SL vessel intercepted with narcotics off the Maldives

The Maldives Coast Guard has seized a Lankan fishing vessel carrying a massive stock of narcotics, with a street value of over Rs. 3 billion. Five Lankan fishermen on board were arrested in what authorities believe to be one of the region’s largest recent drug interceptions.

Defence Ministry sources said that the operation had been conducted, based on intelligence shared by the Sri Lanka Navy. The vessel was found to be carrying approximately 300 kilos of heroin and an undisclosed quantity of crystal methamphetamine (also known as ICE).

Navy sources said intensified patrols in Lankan territorial waters had likely forced the traffickers to divert their route into Maldivian waters, where they were intercepted by Maldivian security forces.

The Navy confirmed that Maldivian authorities had formally informed them of the seizure and the arrests, though further details were yet to be officially released.

The Ministry of Public Security said diplomatic efforts are underway to repatriate the vessel and the suspects, while a team from the Police Narcotics Bureau was to be dispatched to the Maldives to assist in the investigations.

Preliminary inquiries have revealed that the heroin consignment originated from Pakistan and was intended for major Sri Lankan drug networks with overseas links. Security agencies suspect connections to large-scale traffickers, known by the aliases Parevi Suda and Bloemandhal Santha, both believed to be operating from overseas.

Authorities said the vessel had been disguised as a deep-sea fishing boat and was part of a wider transnational network using the Indian Ocean as a drug trafficking corridor.

by Norman Palihawadane ✍️