Two persons have been arrested by Sri Lanka Navy personnel along with more than 912 kg of ‘Beedi’ leaves at Talaimannar.
The boat used by the suspects to transfer the Beedi (tendu) leaves was also taken into custody by the navy.
A group of Naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command apprehended two persons with 27 sacks of Beedi leaves, during a patrol carried out in the seas 5 nautical miles off Talaimannar lighthouse, yesterday night (20).
Accordingly, by further search, 912.46 kg of Beedi leaves were recovered by the Navy and this consignment is suspected to have been transferred by a dinghy from India.
The suspects and the Beedi leaves were taken into custody last night (20) and will be handed over to the Customs office in Jaffna.
The arrested suspects have been identified as a 32-year-old and 38-year-old residents of Pesalai, Mannar.
