Navy seize Rs.30Mn worth ‘Kerala Gold’ cannabis from Northern shores

The smugglers had abandoned a dinghy carrying the narcotics

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana  

A large stock of a Indian cannabis variety known as ‘Kerala Gold’ or locally known as ‘Kerala Ganja’ worth over Rs.30 million was seized by the Sri Lanka Navy on the shore of Madagalthurai, close to Kankesanthurai 
yesterday morning.   

A Naval patrol attached to the Northern Naval Command seized the contraband concealed in a dinghy which was found abandoned on the Madagalthurai beach, no suspects had been arrested.   

Navy Spokesman Captain Indika De Silva told Daily Mirror yesterday that the dinghy which was found abandoned had arrived from a unknown location.  

The sailors found about 100 kilos of Kerala Gold packed in 10 parcels inside four gunny sacks, which were found hidden onboard.   

The navy suspects the smugglers may have abandoned the stock of cannabis due to the rapid arrival of a naval patrol denying the former the opportunity to remove the stock to a safe house.  

The current street value of a kilogram of Kerala Gold is estimated at Rs.300,000.  
The value has reportedly escalated from Rs.150, 000 to Rs.180, 000 since August this year.   
Captain De Silva said the seized ganja will be handed over to the area police for courts production once the investigations are concluded.   

This becomes the second largest detection of Kerala Gold, since the naval detection of 213 kilos of the same narcotic just two weeks back in Pt.Pedro area.     

• The sailors found about 100 kilos of Kerala Gold packed in 10 parcels inside four gunny sacks
• The value has reportedly escalated from Rs.150, 000 to Rs.180, 000 since August this year