Police on the directives of the Jaffna Senior DIG Roshan Fernando seized 114kg of Kerala Cannabis from the Valvettithurai area on Saturday morning.
The Kerala Cannabis was being loaded into a lorry for transport when the detection was made.
Speaking to the Daily News, Senior DIG Roshan Fernando said the raid had been carried out on a tip-off received and Chief Inspector Kumarasinghe who headed the raid.
The Kerala Cannabis was being loaded onto a lorry at the time of the raid and 10 kg and 100 grams of Kerala Cannabis was seized from the lorry bearing registration No. NP LH3846, together with Rs.116.770 in cash.
Three persons were arrested in the Valvettithurai area, while in possession of 110 kg of Kerala Cannabis. While searching the house, Police had recovered 104 kg and 300 grams of Kerala Cannabis hidden inside the house.
Two suspects were arrested while they were loading the cannabis. They have been identified as 54-year-old T. Jayaseelan, a resident of Kattuwan, Chunakkam and 19-year-old S.Janarajanan, a resident of Kuppulan, Chunakkam. “The suspect arrested in the house is a resident of Valvettithurai. The boat which was used to transport the cannabis from India to Sri Lanka had also been seized. The haul is estimated to be worth nearly Rs. 16.5 million,” the police said.
Senior DIG Roshan Fernando has stepped up the surveillance for the prevention of drugg trafficking in the Northern province and during his tenure of 1 ½ years in the Northern Province the police had seized 2,130 kg of Cannabis under his directives.
He had also instructed the setting up of police check points in the Pooneryn, Sangapitty and Kodikamam areas to prevent such drugs being brought in to the Northern Province. It is reported that the largest amount of Kerala Cannabis comes into the country through the Northern sea routes.
The arrested suspects are to be produced before the court and Valvettithurai Police is conducting further investigations regarding the incident.