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Alleged drug supplier to airhostess arrested: Police
The arrest of an air hostess with 100 grams of heroin last week led police to arrest a drug peddler in the Wellawatta area, bringing to focus an increase in drug use within the Colombo District.The SriLankan Airlines airhostess who was arrested for possessing 100 grams of heroin concealed in chocolate, was found to be a heavy user. She is now in remand custody, pending further inquiries.
Police spokesperson Ajith Rohana said investigations so far had revealed she was introduced to drugs at a party in Colombo, and had been purchasing this narcotic from a drug peddler living in Wellawatte. Following the airhostess revelation, the drug peddler was arrested shortly afterwards.
Anti-narcotics officials of the Police Department have intensified their crackdown on those engaged trafficking in drugs in recent months, with more than 20,000 suspects arrested so far this year. “In 30% of these cases, they secured convictions including long term jail sentences,” SSP Ajith Rohana said. The majority of the suspects were from Colombo, he added.
In 2011, the total number of suspects arrested was around 40,000.
In 2012, 16 large hauls of drugs valued at several billions of rupees had been seized. “In all these incidents, the majority of the arrested drug dealers were foreigners,” Director Genera- National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, K. Gamage said.
In 2011, 27 foreigners were arrested in Sri Lanka for drug related offences, of which 16 were from Pakistan, while the others were Maldivians and Indians.
Cannabis is the most commonly used drugs by local addicts, and hence the detection of this substances is higher in ratio compared with other drugs. In 2010, 11,4390 kg of cannabis was seized, while in 2011, this figure rose to over 20,350 kg. However, there has been a sharp drop in the quantity of heroin seized in the past two years, with seizures going down from 142 kg in 2010 to 39 kg in 2011.
SSP Ajith Rohana said that police have intensified their crackdown on drug trafficking, with the Special Task Force (STF) too being roped in to assist in this connection.
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