Kalpitiya Police today (18) arrested a suspect with a cache of Beedi leaves worth millions.
The haul was seized at the Kandakuliya Kudawa beach while it was being loaded into a lorry.
According to preliminary investigations, this stock of Beedi leaves was smuggled into Sri Lanka from India in three fishing vessels.
The haul contained 1381kg of Beedi leaves worth nearly Rs 8 million, the police officers said.
The suspect was taken into custody while he was loading the Beedi leaves haul which was left behind at the beach by the smugglers.
The police report said the arrestee is a Muslim trader from Dikpitiya, Matara. Two other suspects who were at the scene had fled as the police raided the lorry.
Search operations have been commenced to apprehend the escapees.
The arrested suspect is to be produced before the Kalpitiya Court tomorrow (19), the police said.
