Navy arrests two Indian nationals with banned weedicide glyphosate

Navy personnel have arrested two Indian nationals attempting to smuggle in a banned weedicide on a boat in the seas off the northwest coast.

An Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) attached to the North Central Naval Command intercepted the Indian fishing dhow in Sri Lankan territorial waters south of Mannar Lighthouse on Saturday.

When the dhow was searched 710 kg of agrochemical substance glyphosate was recovered and the 2 Indian nationals aboard were subsequently arrested by the Navy. It is believed that the suspects have attempted to smuggle the consignment into Sri Lanka via sea in the guise of fishermen.

The apprehended Indian nationals, consignment of glyphosate, fishing dhow and other equipment were brought to the naval base, SLNS Gajaba and they were subsequently handed over to the Mannar Police for onward legal action.

President Maithripala Sirisena in 2015 banned the imports of glyphosate as some studies have linked the use of the agrochemical to the Chronic Kidney Disease affecting the Sri Lankan farmers.