A joint search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Police Special Task Force (STF) led to the seizure of approximately 9,000 foreign cigarettes and the arrest of a suspect in Wattala on Feb. 17, 2026.
Navy personnel attached to SLNS Gemunu under the Western Naval Command carried out the operation in coordination with the Gonahena Police STF in the Handala area of Wattala.
During the search, officers inspected a suspicious three-wheeler and discovered a stock of foreign cigarettes allegedly being transported illegally.
The suspect, a 48-year-old resident of Wattala, was taken into custody. He was handed over to the Wattala Police along with the seized cigarettes and the three-wheeler for further legal action. (Newswire)
