COLOMBO, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan navy seized an Indian boat with 2,689 kilos of tendu leaves and arrested 3 Indians in the seas off the country's northwestern province, the navy said in a statement on Tuesday.
The navy said the arrests were made off the Kudiramalai Point on Monday, adding that the tendu leaves were stored in 80 packs. The boat and the Indians have been handed over to local authorities for legal action, according to the navy.
Sri Lanka's navy conducts regular patrols and operations in its waters to curb illegal activities. With this apprehension, the navy has seized 37,619 kilos of smuggled tendu leaves and apprehended 32 suspects so far in 2024, the navy said. ■