Two foreign trawlers packed with over $33 million worth of heroin and crystal methamphetamine were seized in Sri Lanka's biggest-ever drugs bust at sea, a navy spokesman said Thursday.

Troops found 400 kilogrammes of heroin and 100 kilogrammes of the drug "ice" on board the two vessels, spokesman Isuru Sooriyabandara said.

The street value of the seized narcotics was estimated by officials to be 6,000 million rupees.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-offers-tax-cuts-subsidies-to-revive-jinxed-airport-283402">Sri Lanka offers tax cuts, subsidies to revive jinxed airport</a>

The vessels, as well as a Sri Lankan fishing boat, were escorted to a harbour near the capital Colombo on&nbsp;Thursday.

Sixteen foreign crew and five Sri Lankan crewmen were detained for questioning, Sooriyabandara added. The nationalities of the foreigners were not disclosed by authorities.

"The two foreign vessels were trying to offload the drugs onto a Sri Lankan fishing boat," Sooriyabandara said.

Also see:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-seizes-drugs-equipment-worth-27-million-military-283666"> Myanmar seizes drugs, equipment worth $27 million: Military</a>

The foreign vessels, which carried no registration, were intercepted in international waters some 1,100 kilometres&nbsp;from Sri Lanka's coast.

Sooriyabandara said investigators were checking GPS data onboard the vessels to establish the route and the point of origin.

Authorities said initial investigations suggested the Iran-Pakistan coast was the point of origin.

Also read<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-sanctions-cut-off-iranians-access-to-medicine-283907">: US sanctions cut off Iranians' access to medicine</a>

In 2016, the navy arrested 10 Iranians, two Pakistanis and one each from India and Singapore for allegedly trying to smuggle 110 kilogrammes of heroin into the island nation via a trawler.

The country's previous largest drug haul was in December 2016 when police seized 800 kilogrammes of cocaine on a ship at Colombo's port from Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Port.

Six months earlier, authorities discovered 301 kilogrammes of cocaine inside a shipping container at Colombo.

Authorities believe the Indian Ocean island is also being used as a trafficking transit point.

Two foreign trawlers packed with over $33 million worth of heroin and crystal methamphetamine were seized in Sri Lanka's biggest-ever drugs bust at sea, a navy spokesman said Thursday.

Two foreign trawlers packed with over $33 million worth of heroin and crystal methamphetamine were seized in Sri Lanka's biggest-ever drugs bust at sea, a navy spokesman said Thursday. Troops found 400 kilogrammes of heroin and 100 kilogrammes of the drug "ice" on board the two vessels, spokesman Isuru Sooriyabandara said. The street value of the seized narcotics was estimated by officials to be 6,000 million rupees. Also read: Sri Lanka offers tax cuts, subsidies to revive jinxed airport The vessels, as well as a Sri Lankan fishing boat, were escorted to a harbour near the capital Colombo on Thursday. Sixteen foreign crew and five Sri Lankan crewmen were detained for questioning, Sooriyabandara added. The nationalities of the foreigners were not disclosed by authorities. "The two foreign vessels were trying to offload the drugs onto a Sri Lankan fishing boat," Sooriyabandara said. Also see: Myanmar seizes drugs, equipment worth $27 million: Military The foreign vessels, which carried no registration, were intercepted in international waters some 1,100 kilometres from Sri Lanka's coast. Sooriyabandara said investigators were checking GPS data onboard the vessels to establish the route and the point of origin. Authorities said initial investigations suggested the Iran-Pakistan coast was the point of origin. Also read: US sanctions cut off Iranians' access to medicine In 2016, the navy arrested 10 Iranians, two Pakistanis and one each from India and Singapore for allegedly trying to smuggle 110 kilogrammes of heroin into the island nation via a trawler. The country's previous largest drug haul was in December 2016 when police seized 800 kilogrammes of cocaine on a ship at Colombo's port from Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Port. Six months earlier, authorities discovered 301 kilogrammes of cocaine inside a shipping container at Colombo. Authorities believe the Indian Ocean island is also being used as a trafficking transit point.

Sri Lanka seizes record drugs haul at sea

Sri Lanka has hired two hangmen as it prepares for executions of four prisoners convicted of drug offences in what would be the country's first use of the death penalty for over 40 years, prison authorities said on Friday.

The Prisons Department began the recruitment process in March after the last hangman quit in 2014, citing stress after seeing the gallows for the first time. Another, hired last year, never turned up for work.

President Maithripala Sirisena announced on Wednesday an end to a moratorium on the death penalty in force since 1976, a move political analysts said was meant to boost his chances of re-election if he stands again later this year.

Local and international rights groups, along with former colonial master Britain, Canada, the European Union and United Nations have raised concerns about the South Asian nation's restoration of capital punishment.

"The recruitment process is finalised and two (hangmen) have been selected. The two need to go through final training which will take about two weeks," prisons spokesman Thushara Upuldeniya said.

The two were picked from among 100 applicants who responded to an advertisement calling for male Sri Lankans aged between 18 and 45 with “excellent moral character” and “mental strength”.

Prisons Commissioner TMJW Thennakoon declined to provide details of the four convicts whose death penalties were approved by the president.

On Friday, a petitioner - a Sri Lankan journalist - filed public interest litigation seeking to stop any executions, arguing that people's rights were being violated. A court hearing will be held on July 2, and Thennakoon pledged that there would be no executions for the next seven days.

A spokesman for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said on Thursday international drug control conventions cannot be used to justify the use of the death penalty for drug-related offences alone.

"Application of the death penalty may also impede international cooperation in fighting drug trafficking as there are national laws that (bar) the exchange of information and extradition with countries which may impose capital punishment for the offences concerned," the UNODC spokesman said.

Sri Lanka has hired two hangmen as it prepares for executions of four prisoners convicted of drug offences in what would be the country's first use of the death penalty for over 40 years, prison authorities said on Friday.

Sri Lanka has hired two hangmen as it prepares for executions of four prisoners convicted of drug offences in what would be the country's first use of the death penalty for over 40 years, prison authorities said on Friday. The Prisons Department began the recruitment process in March after the last hangman quit in 2014, citing stress after seeing the gallows for the first time. Another, hired last year, never turned up for work. President Maithripala Sirisena announced on Wednesday an end to a moratorium on the death penalty in force since 1976, a move political analysts said was meant to boost his chances of re-election if he stands again later this year. Local and international rights groups, along with former colonial master Britain, Canada, the European Union and United Nations have raised concerns about the South Asian nation's restoration of capital punishment. "The recruitment process is finalised and two (hangmen) have been selected. The two need to go through final training which will take about two weeks," prisons spokesman Thushara Upuldeniya said. The two were picked from among 100 applicants who responded to an advertisement calling for male Sri Lankans aged between 18 and 45 with “excellent moral character” and “mental strength”. Prisons Commissioner TMJW Thennakoon declined to provide details of the four convicts whose death penalties were approved by the president. On Friday, a petitioner - a Sri Lankan journalist - filed public interest litigation seeking to stop any executions, arguing that people's rights were being violated. A court hearing will be held on July 2, and Thennakoon pledged that there would be no executions for the next seven days. A spokesman for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said on Thursday international drug control conventions cannot be used to justify the use of the death penalty for drug-related offences alone. "Application of the death penalty may also impede international cooperation in fighting drug trafficking as there are national laws that (bar) the exchange of information and extradition with countries which may impose capital punishment for the offences concerned," the UNODC spokesman said.

Sri Lanka picks two hangmen for first prisoner executions since 1970s

drugs-in-sri-lanka

Drugs In Sri Lanka, News on Drugs In Sri Lanka, stories on Drugs In Sri Lanka, articles on Drugs In Sri Lanka, Drugs In Sri Lanka stories at Wion, Drugs In Sri Lanka news, Drugs In Sri Lanka latest news

drugs in-sri-lanka

Sri Lanka seizes record drugs haul at sea

Sri Lanka picks two hangmen for first prisoner executions since 1970s