Colombo: Three Indians have been detained
by the Sri Lankan Navy for their alleged involvement in a
smuggling racket.
Sri Lankan Naval craft on patrol apprehended three
Indian nationals and a boat engaged in a smuggling racket in
the seas south of Mannar in north-west of the island nation
yesterday, an official said today.
23 sacks of highly expensive dried sea cucumber
weighing 1031 kilogrammes, a hand-held GPS and a mobile phone
were also seized from them, the Sri Lankan Navy said in a
statement.
"The smugglers are residents of Madras and Tuticorine
in India and their boat was fitted with a two-cylinder inboard
engine cleverly disguised with fishing gear to look like a
fishing craft," it claimed.
The dried sea cucumber was neatly packed in sacks to
be smuggled safely, it added.
The apprehended persons and the items were produced
before Mannar Magistrate yesterday for legal action.
They are being brought to Colombo to be handed over
to Sri Lanka Customs for further action, it said.
PTI
