A Sri Lankan court has sentenced ten Iranian men to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to smuggling over 111 kilograms (approximately 244 pounds) of heroin. The sentencing, announced on Wednesday, follows the men’s arrest in April 2016 when they were intercepted by authorities while transporting the narcotics aboard an Iranian trawler in Sri Lankan waters.
The High Court of Negombo is set to hold a hearing next month for the remaining seven suspects, who include three Sri Lankans, two Pakistanis, an Indian, and a Singaporean. These individuals were also part of the original group apprehended during the operation.
Wednesday’s ruling represents the largest group of foreign nationals to receive life sentences for drug smuggling in Sri Lanka. Authorities have indicated that the significant seizures of heroin in the region point to Colombo’s increasing role as a transit hub for narcotics destined for the Far East. In a separate case last year, nine Iranians were similarly sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in drug trafficking, highlighting the ongoing challenge of narcotics smuggling in the region.
