A large consignment of pesticides was seized in a joint operation launched by the Army and the Special Task Force in Kayts, Jaffna last Friday. The value of the pesticide consignment is reported to be close to 50 million rupees.
Although there have been reports of fertilizers and pesticides being brought to Sri Lanka from India in recent times, this is the first time such a consignment has been seized. There are serious concerns about the quality of some pesticides used in India and some are banned from being used in Sri Lanka.
Officials believe that the consignment of pesticides may have been smuggled from Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu. Three suspects have been arrested in this connection.