Seven Indian nationals have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly attempting to smuggle around 2,400 kg of kendu leaves into the island nation, the Navy said on Thursday. The operation was carried out off the coast of Udappuwa in the Puttalam district on Wednesday, following information received by the Navy’s Western Naval Command.
According to an official statement, naval personnel spotted two suspicious Indian boats, known as dhows, inside Sri Lankan waters. Two local dinghies were also found in the area during the surveillance operation.
The Navy detained seven Indian nationals travelling on the two dhows and four Sri Lankan nationals aboard the dinghies. During a search of the boats, officials recovered around 2,400 kg of kendu leaves packed in 60 sacks, the Navy said.
The suspects, along with the seized boats and the recovered leaves, will be handed over to the Customs Preventive Office in Colombo for further legal proceedings.
Why are kendu leaves smuggled into Sri Lanka?
Kendu leaves are commonly used to make bidis, which are traditional hand-rolled cigarettes. The leaves are valued for their strength and durability, making them suitable for wrapping tobacco.
Smuggling these leaves into Sri Lanka is believed to help meet demand for cheaper bidis, particularly as commercially manufactured cigarettes are expensive.
Small boats are often used to transport such goods across the Palk Strait, the narrow stretch of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka. This route allows smugglers to avoid customs checks and import duties on tobacco-related materials.
The latest arrests come as the Sri Lankan Navy continues surveillance operations to prevent illegal activities in the country’s coastal waters.
Similar incidents that took place recently
The Sri Lankan Navy intercepted an Indian dhow off Chilaw on April 28 after spotting it allegedly transferring suspicious cargo to three local boats. A search led to the seizure of more than 2,000 kg of kendu leaves packed in 54 sacks. Four Indian nationals aboard the dhow and six Sri Lankan nationals linked to the local boats were detained. The suspects, boats and seized leaves were handed over to customs officials in Colombo for legal proceedings.
A Nigerian court convicted 11 Indian sailors and their merchant vessel after authorities found 31.5 kg of cocaine hidden aboard the ship at Apapa Port in Lagos in January 2026. The cocaine was discovered inside a storage compartment of the vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, which had arrived in Nigeria after a voyage from Brazil. In June, the court imposed fines totalling around $6 million on the crew and the vessel.
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