Sri Lanka Navy seizes narcotics worth over Rs. 55 billion in 2026

From Jan. 1 to Sept. 24 this year, the Navy had brought nearly 300 people before the law through anti-narcotics operations conducted as part of its land- and sea-based surveillance activities, Chaminda Karunasena, Acting Director General Operations of the Sri Lanka Navy, said.

He said the Navy had also seized 53 vessels and boats used in drug trafficking, including one foreign vessel.

According to Karunasena, the estimated street value of narcotics seized through Navy operations so far this year exceeded 55 billion Sri Lankan rupees.

The seizures included more than 1,080 kilograms of heroin, over 590 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, more than 256 kilograms of cocaine and over 862 kilograms of cannabis.

He said about 800 kilograms of cannabis had been seized in the Gurunagar lagoon area on Sept. 24 alone.

The Navy had also seized more than 4 million narcotic tablets, over 1 kilogram of hashish and more than 55,000 kilograms, or 55 metric tons, of kendu leaves, Karunasena said.