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| Wednesday, 18 August 2004 |
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by Asanga Warnakulasuriya The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) has busted a major racket in drug trafficking involving an Indian national and seized 5 1/2 kilograms of pure heroin worth over Rs. 13.7 million. The Indian national said to have direct contacts with his Sri lankan counterparts in Colombo and Mannar was arrested along with five members of the drug ring, in Mannar following a running battle with the suspects resulting in injuries to several PNB officers, PNB Director SSP Pujith Jayasundara said yesterday. The ring had been in operation for several years and it had been revealed that they had begun their "operations" at the height of the North East conflict, the SSP said. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects functioned in the guise of Aluminum importers wherein they had transported items banned by the Government to the Jaffna peninsula, the SSP said. The SSP said that a Police constable attached to the Mannar Police is alleged to have been involved with the suspects in the drug trafficking. Although the suspected police constable had been transferred to Ratnapura, he had allegedly worked in the same division. Police had also found him visiting one of the suspects' homes at Pilliyardi, Mannar following the arrest of the suspects, the SSP said. On directions of the IGP Indra de Silva, DIG Narcotics Jayantha Wickremaratne is currently conducting investigations into the alleged involvement of the police constable. Three members of the gang were siblings of a same family. |
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