STF seizes 86,000 cigarettes, 450 bottles of illicit liquor

Ridma Dissanayake

STF personnel on Saturday arrested a person in Aluthkade area along with a haul of cigarettes brought into the country evading Customs duty. Police STF personnel, acting on information received by intelligence unit officers of the Rajagiriya camp seized over 86,600 cigarettes, under the brand name Gold Seal valued at nearly Rs. two million from the suspect’s possession.

The suspect and the haul of illegally imported cigarettes were handed over to Keselwatta Police Station for further investigations.

Meanwhile, three suspects were arrested along with a large quantity of illicit liquor and brewing equipment following a raid carried out in a wooded area on the banks of the Ging Ganga in Kammala, Wennappuwa.

The illicit liquor den was raided by Puttalam District Special Investigation Unit last morning.A total of 450 bottles of illicit liquor, 28 barrels, 48 barrels of Goda, eight coils and a boat used to transport the illicit brew were seized.

The suspects and the haul of items are to be handed over to the Wennappuwa Police for further investigations.