16th January 2026
Based on information received by the Sri Lanka Army Intelligence Corps, a large stock of narcotics was seized on 14 January 2026 during joint operations carried out in several parts of the island, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Police and the Police Special Task Force (STF).
During an operation conducted jointly by the Army Intelligence Corps and the STF along the Nagar Kovil coastal area, 24 small packets suspected to contain heroin and nine parcels of Kerala cannabis weighing 14.750 kg, with an estimated value of nearly 4 million, were seized. Further investigations into this incident are being carried out by the Maradankerni Police Station.
On the same afternoon, another joint operation conducted by the Army Intelligence Corps and the Point Pedro Police led to the arrest of two suspects at an abandoned house in the Imbersiddi area, where 12 parcels containing 28 kg of Kerala cannabis, valued at approximately 4.8 million, were found buried. Further questioning of the suspects resulted in the recovery of an additional five parcels containing 12 kg of Kerala cannabis, worth around 2 million, from near a house in Alvai area. Investigations related to these seizures are being conducted by the Point Pedro Police.
Meanwhile, two joint raids were carried out in collaboration with officers of the Wellawaya Police Station. During a raid in Kabalharuwa area, officers seized 59 kg of dried cannabis and 6 kg of cannabis seeds, valued at approximately 5 million. In another raid conducted in the Bogahapathana forest reserve in Wellawaya Gampanguwa area, officers discovered a cannabis cultivation spread across one and a half acres, containing approximately 31,000 cannabis plants valued at around 1.5 million.
All seized cannabis plants were destroyed, and further legal proceedings are being carried out by the Wellawaya Police.
