The Sri Lanka Navy has seized 989kg (wet weight) dried turmeric during a search carried out off Gurunagar and Mandaitivu, Jaffna last night (19).
The search operation also led to the arrest of four suspects in connection to the rackets.
The Northern Naval Command spotted a suspicious dinghy off the Mandaitivu Island yesterday and during the search seized 496kg and 054g (wet weight) of dried turmeric in 14 sacks.
Two suspects were arrested while the vessel was seized.
One sack containing 48kg and 030g (wet weight) of dried turmeric was thrown overboard by the suspects.
Meanwhile, the Navy Marines searched a suspicious dinghy off Gurunagar and seized 12 sacks with smuggled dried turmeric weighing about 445kg and 800g (wet weight).
The Navy apprehended two suspects involved in the illegal act.
The suspects between 33 and 51 years of age are residents of Mannar.
