By Madura Ranwala

The Navy and the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB), in a joint operation, yesterday took into custody the biggest ever haul of heroin brought into the country via sea; it weighed 101 kilos. Eleven foreign drug smugglers—a Pakistan national and 10 Iranians—were also arrested.

The heroin had been smuggled from Pakistan to Sri Lanka in multi-day fishing craft via the southern seas, sources said.

The heroin racket had been in operation in three countries, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Navy spokesman Caption Akram Alavi told The Island last night.

The Navy and PNB had launched the operation, acting on information elicited from drug smugglers who had been arrested earlier, sources said. PNB officers are grilling the foreign suspects arrested on March 30 on detention orders.

The consignment of heroin had been transported to Colombo via the southern expressway, the navy said.

Captain Alavi said another substance believed to be heroin had also been taken into custody and it was still being tested.

Courtesy:The Island