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Photo taken on Feb. 24, 2019 shows the seized heroin in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan police on Sunday seized the largest haul of heroin discovered in the island country from a car park in Kollupitiya of capital Colombo, local media reports said. (Xinhua/Ajith Perera)

COLOMBO, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan police on Sunday seized the largest haul of heroin discovered in the island country from a car park in Kollupitiya, in capital Colombo, local media reports said.

According to the police, a total of 294 kilograms and 490 grams of heroin were nabbed from two white vans, parked in the car park of a shopping mall in a joint raid conducted by the Police Narcotics Bureau together with the Police Special Task Force(STF).

Police said the drugs are valued at an estimated 16.2 million U.S. dollars.

The haul of drugs had been packed in 272 parcels and were found inside 10 bags. Two suspects, aged 43 and 32 were taken into police custody.

Investigating officers suspected that the heroin haul was smuggled into the country via sea route and are conducting further investigations.

The suspects will be taken before a local court later on Sunday.

In a message on his official twitter account, President Maithripala Sirisena congratulated the Police STF and Police Narcotics Bureau for seizing the largest haul of heroin and honored them for protecting the younger generation.

Sri Lankan investigators, on instructions of President Sirisena, have since January launched a severe crackdown on drug dealers and smugglers, with several arrests being made within the past two months.

Earlier this month, Sirisena said he will impose the death penalty on convicted drug traffickers within the next two months after he vowed to free the country from the drug menace by 2020.