Over 150 kg of drugs worth Rs. 3 billion seized by Sri Lanka Navy
More than 150 kilograms of drugs worth over Rs. 3 billion were discovered aboard a multi-day fishing vessel seized by the Sri Lanka Navy during a joint operation with intelligence agencies in the deep seas south of Sri Lanka.
The Navy brought the vessel to Dikkowita Fisheries Harbour this morning (November 5, 2026), where the drugs found in 10 sacks were inspected.
Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara, who visited the harbour this morning, told the media that the seized drugs included more than 100 kilograms of Ice (crystal methamphetamine) and more than 50 kilograms of heroin.
He said the estimated street value of the drugs exceeded Rs. 3 billion. However, the Navy is still weighing and assessing the seized drugs.
The local multi-day fishing vessel was taken into Navy custody yesterday (November 4, 2026) during a special naval operation while transporting sacks suspected to contain drugs.
Five fishermen arrested during the operation were also brought to Dikkowita Fisheries Harbour this morning.
Speaking further, Deputy Minister Jayasekara said the government would take every possible measure to eliminate drugs from the country.
He expressed special appreciation to the Navy for its efforts and said the activities of drug traffickers had already been identified. He added that the Police and the Tri-Forces had been assigned responsibility for taking the necessary action against them.
The Deputy Minister said the Navy alone had seized drugs worth Rs. 75 billion in 2025, while drugs worth more than Rs. 109 billion had been seized by the Navy under the “Ratama Ekata” (“A Nation United”) programme.
He further revealed that naval operations carried out so far in 2026 had resulted in the seizure of drugs worth Rs. 69 billion.
Meanwhile, Jayasekara said 314,200 individuals had been arrested in connection with drug-related operations, including 1,050 key members of drug trafficking networks.
He added that the Navy had taken 63 vessels involved in drug trafficking into custody, including 11 multi-day fishing vessels, and arrested 353 individuals in connection with these operations.
The Deputy Minister emphasised that the government’s main objective was to disrupt the supply of illegal drugs.
He stressed that drug traffickers would not be able to escape government action and that the country’s future would be determined by its people, not by drug traffickers.
He also urged the public to provide information about drug trafficking through the 1818 anti-drug hotline.