Suspects Arrested For Smuggling Animals and Medicinal Drugs

COLOMBO (News 1st); A coordinated search operation conducted by the Navy and Police in Pesalai, Mannar on 04 Feb 25, led to the arrest of 03 suspects for smuggling pigeons, African love birds and flying squirrels as well as medicinal drugs into the island.

The operation also led to the seizure of a lorry being used for the smuggling racket.

Based on information received by SLNS Thammanna in the North Central Naval Command, the operation was conducted with the assistance of Divisional Crime Detective Bureau Mannar in the Pesalai area.

The arrest was made after searching a lorry in which 220 pigeons, 20 African love birds and 08 flying squirrels as well as 230 tablets and 40 bottles containing medicine were recovered. The search party also nabbed 03 suspects and seized the lorry, in connection to the incident.

The suspects held in this operation were identified as residents of Dambulla and Colombo, aged between 25 and 44. The suspects, together with animals and the lorry were handed over to the Mannar Police for onward legal action.