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Biggest heroin haul: Cloak over PM’s official
The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) is moving to indict the two suspects in the case involving one of the biggest heroin hauls – but the Prime Minister and top ministry officials are evading direct comment on the alleged role of a ministry official.
PNB Director Kamal Silva said the Government Analyst had confirmed that the consignment included 131 kilograms of pure heroin and the PNB had written to the Attorney General’s Department seeking advice to file action against the two suspects.
The heroin haul weighing 261 kilograms with a street value of Rs. 2.8 billion was detected on August 30 in a container and the samples were sent to the Government Analyst. The analysis revealed that 131 kilos of the haul were pure heroin.
Customs Narcotics Unit Director Nihal Alahapperuma has also called for a report from the PNB to continue investigations.
However no inquiry has been launched to probe the role of Keerthi Sri Weerasinghe, coordinating Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Buddha Sasana. He is alleged to have sent a letter from the Prime Minister’s office requesting a waiver of demurrage and Sri Lanka Ports Authority charges as a concession to the importer of the consignment.
The Prime Minister’s Secretary S. Amarasekara told the Sunday Times that no inquiry had been ordered by his office against the official as he was attached to the Buddha Sasana Ministry which also comes under the purview of the Prime Minister. “It is the Buddha Sasana Ministry which should carry out any inquiry,” he said.
Buddha Sasana Ministry Secretary M.K.B. Dissanayake said the official came under the Prime Minister’s office and had only been assigned to the Buddha Sasana Ministry. ‘He is not an official of the Buddha Sasana Ministry and therefore the ministry cannot carry out any inquiry,” he said.
The Sunday Times exclusively reported on November 10 on how the coordinating secretary to the Prime Minister had allegedly issued the controversial letter.
This week JVP Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayaka referring to the Sunday Times report in Parliament said: “Those behind the import of this drug haul are big-time smugglers. This too seems to have the blessings of politicians. “This is damaging to the image of the country and the Prime Minister,” he said.
Prime Minister D.M Jayaratna responding said: “As a police investigation is in progress, it is not possible to comment yet on whose instructions the letter had been issued. At the end of the investigations, the action taken against the person will be conveyed to the House”.