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DNA MP queries PM’s office connection to largest drug haul in SL
View(s):DNA MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake who last week in Parliament, raised the issue of the largest drug haul in Sri Lanka, queried how an official from the Prime Minister’s office sent a letter to the Customs Dept. requesting that the heroin container be released.
He said that the heroin valued at around Rs. 2,600 million, was considered the biggest detection of narcotics in the South Asian region.
“The Sri Lanka Customs and police had seized 260 kg of heroin imported as ceramic ware and grease, at the Orugodawatte Container Terminal on August 30. The heroin container imported from Karachi, was addressed to an establishment called Rohan Impex at T30, Railway Quarters, Maligawatte. However, subsequent investigations revealed that this organisation had applied for a registration with the Registrar of Companies only after the container had reached the country on June 22, 2013. That indicated the fact that the smugglers had remained in the background until the contraband reached Sri Lanka and ensured of its release, had claimed ownership of the container.
Even though a Sri Lankan and a Pakistani national had been taken into custody, along with the haul of heroin, the investigators had not been able to trace the mastermind behind the operation. Sri Lanka is becoming a drug hub of the world. A shot of heroin is about a scoop from an ear pick, and 260 kg is about five-and-a-half gunny bags. If you start using an ear pick to empty these bags, it would take years to empty. This is enough to ruin the lives of several generations of our young people.
“Those behind the import of this heroin haul are big-time smugglers. This too seems to have the blessings of politicians. A letter from the Prime Minister’s office, signed by a coordinating secretary to the Prime Minister, requested appropriate action to grant a waiver of demurrage and Ports Authority charges for the container. The letter states that it was the first container imported by the company which was just launching its business, and hence could not afford to pay heavy Customs duties. This is detrimental to the image of this country, as well as the Prime Minister’s name, or involving the second citizen of this country in an incident of this nature.
Parliament must be informed of the details of this consignment taken into custody; whether a person had forwarded any letter to obtain a duty waiver; who had instructed the said person to issue such a letter; what action had been taken against the person who issued that letter; whether any assistance had been sought from Interpol, and progress made in the investigations.