Navy recovers huge quantity of beedi leaves in Mannar

Two suspects were arrested by the Navy with 33 parcels of beedi leaves weighing 1011.3 kilogrammes in the Thaulpadu Beach area in Mannar early last morning.

A Naval team attached to the North Central Naval Command recovered the beedi leaves which had been brought ashore.

The suspects age 27 and 56 were identified as residents of Thoddaweli and Erukkulampiddi. The haul of beedi leaves along with the suspects were handed over to the Customs office in Jaffna for onward action.

Meanwhile, a Naval team in coordination with the STF also recovered 526 kgs of beedi leaves hidden at a saw mill during a raid carried out in the Periyagaman area in Mannar on Monday (3).

The Navy said a cab used to transport the beedi leaves and the owner of the saw mill were arrested.

They were handed over to the Jaffna Customs office for further investigations to be carried out.

In yet another detection the navy recovered 451kgs of beedi leaves and 5,300 small-sized crates filled with tobacco powder in Mannar on Saturday (1).