COLOMBO, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan authorities have seized more than 600 kg of narcotics from a multi-day fishing trawler intercepted on suspicion of drug trafficking, a senior minister said on Tuesday.
Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala said authorities are expected to bring the trawler ashore within the next two days. He added that security forces also took into custody a significant quantity of weapons found onboard.
This is the second major maritime drug bust conducted by the Sri Lankan Navy in recent days. In a separate operation on March 7, the navy seized 102 kg of heroin and 900 grams of cocaine on another vessel and arrested six suspects.
According to the minister, the narcotics supply network is closely linked to organized crime, and the government is working to dismantle the drug trafficking network behind the shipments. ■