Mar 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka Navy during a special operation conducted in the beach and sea areas of Madagal in Jaffna on Monday has recovered over 165kg of Kerala cannabis, on the beach and in the sea.

SLNS Agbo in the Northern Naval Command seized a consignment of Kerala cannabis, during a foot patrol conducted in the beach area of Madagal on 28th March.

Naval personnel recovered 08 suspicious sacks left behind at the beach and the sacks had been stuffed with 71 packages of Kerala cannabis weighing about 150kg and 390g.

Meanwhile, a special search operation conducted off Madagal on the same day by SLNS Agbo led to the apprehension of a suspicious sack adrift in Madagal sea area. The retrieved sack was full of 07 parcels which had been stuffed with about 15kg and 05g of Kerala cannabis.

It is suspected that smugglers may have abandoned the consignment of Kerala cannabis without being able to fetch them into the country, due to constant naval operations. The gross street value of seized Kerala cannabis is believed to be over Rs. 54 million.

The stock of Kerala cannabis has been kept in the naval custody until it is handed over to authorities for onward action.

The Coastal Observation Points of the Navy keep a round-the-clock vigil in the coastal areas of the island with a view to prevent nefarious activities taking place via sea routes. As an extension of these efforts,