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Sri Lanka Army

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27th January 2020 19:20:46 Hours

Haul of Cannabis, Detected by Wanni Troops within 72 Hours Exceeds 35 kg

Alert 16 and 21 Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) troops of the 561 and 563 Brigades of the 56 Division under the Security Force Headquarters - Wanni (SFHQ-W) within three days (25-27 January), together with Policemen nabbed 8 suspects from buses with 35.55 kg of Kerala Ganja (cannabis) during their searches at Puttur Junction and Omanthai.

Troops manning roadblocks at both those locations along Kandy - Jaffna A9 road conducted random searches and recovered the haul of Ganja from SLTB and Private buses.

8 kg of Ganja, concealed in a Colombo-Jaffna bound SLTB bus was detected at Puttur Junction roadblock at about 9.20 p.m. on Saturday (25). Just about two and half hours later, troops arrested another stock of 2.5 kg of cannabis when they conducted a search on a private bus at the same roadblock around 11.40 p.m. During small hours on Sunday (26) at about 00.40 a.m., troops found 7 kg of Ganja from another private bus at Puttur junction. Similarly, at about 7.35 a.m. on Sunday (26), the same 16 SLSR troops recovered 2.5 kg of Ganja from another SLTB bus plying from Jaffna to Colombo. At 9.40 a.m. on Sunday (26), troops at Puttur junction carried out a sudden search and recovered 2.5 kg of Ganja from another SLTB bus shuttling between Jaffna - Kandy. The same evening at about 4.45 p.m. troops on suspicion searched one more SLTB bus, proceeding to Akkaraipattu from Jaffna at Puttur junction and detected 5 kg of cannabis, kept hidden in the bus. At about 6.15 p.m. on Sunday (26), troops again recovered 2.5 kg of Ganja from another SLTB bus bound for Akkaraipattu from Jaffna. Again on Sunday (26) at about 7.10 p.m., troops conducted a search on another Akkaraipattu bound private bus from Jaffna at Puttur roadblock and recovered about 600 g of cannabis.

Meanwhile, 21 SLSR troops serving Omanthai roadblock on Sunday (26) at about 10.55 a.m. arrested 4 kg of Kerala cannabis from a Colombo bound SLTB bus from Jaffna. Similarly, at 7.30 p.m. on Sunday (26) troops searched a Vavuniya bound private bus from Jaffna and detected 950 g of Kerala Ganja at Omanthai roadblock.

On Monday (27), 21 SLSR troops conducted a snap roadblock and searched an SLTB bus bound for Kandy and detected about 140 g of Kerala Ganja at Omanthai. Again, around 9.35 a.m. this morning (27), the same troops at Omanthai arrested a parcel containing 661 g of cannabis from a private bus bound for Vavuniya from Pooneryn.

Those detected cannabis and 8 suspects taken into custody were subsequently handed over to Puliyankulam and Omanthai Police stations for further investigations and onward actions.

To be in line with the Presidential directive that efforts be made to eradicate drug menace from the country, acting Chief of Defence Staff & Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva has directed the Army troops to be alert to this danger and help the Police to nab all those drug dealers and involved in transport, etc.

Major General Rohitha Dharmasiri, Commander Security Forces - Wanni, Major General Jaliya Senarathna, General Officer Commanding, 56 Division, 561 and 563 Brigade Commanders supervised the conduct of those searches.Sports brands | adidas Yeezy Boost 700 , Ietp