THOOTHUKUDI: The Sri Lankan Navy arrested seven Indians from Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu who allegedly tried to smuggle in over two tonnes of beedi leaves on two fibre boats. Four Sri Lankan nationals involved in the illicit trade too were caught in the waters of the island country.
The Tamil Nadu natives who were arrested are M Anand Arulappan (47) and S Dinesh (34) of Tirunelveli as well as Subaston (26), Nishanth P Rayan (38), J Michael (31), J Nishanth (21), and J V Selvam (30) of Thoothukudi, said asenior police official here.
Two Indian country boats and two dinghies of the detained Lankans were confiscated. About 2,400 kilograms of beedi leaves, which were found stashed in the former boats in 60 bags, were seized.
The two boats had set sail from Singithurai in Kayalpattinam and Koothankuli on the Tirunelveli coast on October 20. They were detained by the SL Navy on October 22.
Sources say the SL Navy and the coast guard intercepted country boats off Udappuwa in Puttalam after they were found moving suspiciously.
They were found attempting to shift a consignment of beedi leaves from the Indian boats onto the dinghies of the Sri Lankans. The Navy and Coast Guard personnel apprehended 11 of them, including seven Indians.
The naval personnel handed over the seized items and the smugglers to the Customs Preventive Office in Colombo for further legal proceedings. Further investigation is on.
