Sri Lanka Navy finds over 192 kg of cannabis in Gurunagar lagoon
The Sri Lanka Navy intercepted a dinghy in Jaffna's Gurunagar lagoon and reported recovering over 192 kg of foreign cannabis in 88 parcels packed into seven sacks. One suspect and the seizure were handed to the Jaffna police for further legal action.
Naval personnel attached to SLNS Welusumana in the Northern Naval Command searched the Gurunagar lagoon area in Jaffna on 24 September 2026 after receiving information about a suspicious dinghy.[1][2]
The Navy said its personnel intercepted the boat and found more than 192 kg of foreign cannabis, packed into 88 parcels inside seven sacks.[1][2]A Navy briefing on 25 September 2026 gave a different weight for the cannabis seized in the Gurunagar lagoon area the previous day.[3]The Navy estimated the consignment’s street value at more than Rs. 38 million.[1]
One suspect was apprehended, and the suspect, cannabis and dinghy were handed to the Jaffna Division Crimes Investigation Bureau for further legal action.[1][2]
Photos and video
Sacks of cannabis seized in the Gurunagar lagoon operation; image released by the Sri Lanka Navy.Photo details
The Navy reported more than 192 kg but did not state the exact weight.
A Navy briefing on 25 September 2026 gave about 800 kg of cannabis for the Gurunagar lagoon seizure of 24 September, while the Navy's operation news reported over 192 kg; the report uses the operation-news figure.
The suspect's identity and later case outcome were not reported.
The Navy names the Gurunagar lagoon area but does not give an exact interception point.
Sri Lanka Police said 597,964 drug-related operations over the past two years involved 596,591 suspects and recovered 43,726 kilograms of narcotics, of which 28,441 kilograms was cannabis. Police valued the whole haul at about Rs. 224 billion and also reported 4,056 firearms and weapons seized in the same period.
Sri Lanka Customs opened nine uncollected foreign postal parcels at the Central Mail Exchange in Colombo and seized kush, hashish, ecstasy and cocaine worth Rs 60.26 million. The parcels came from Thailand, Spain, Britain and the US; the drugs went to the Police Narcotic Bureau.
Sri Lanka Customs found 2.4 kg of cannabis and 12.4 kg of hashish worth Rs 157 million hidden inside wooden table boards shipped from Thailand as a gift. A 29-year-old suspect from Ragama was taken into Customs custody.
Police Narcotics Bureau officers found two abandoned bags holding 60 airtight packets of kush cannabis near baggage belt 6 at Bandaranaike International Airport on the morning of 15 September 2026. Police suspect the bags came off SriLankan Airlines flight UL 405 from Bangkok the previous day; the passenger is believed to have fled.
