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Big heroin bust: All network members identified, say police
Police last week claimed that all members of the network involved in smuggling 261 kilograms of heroin into Sri Lanka have been identified but refused to reveal who they were. Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana also confirmed that investigators were not targeting an official in the Prime Minister’s office who attempted to get the contraband released by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. “He is not under investigation,” SSP Rohana said.
“We have identified the network that was involved,” SSP Rohana told the Sunday Times. “They are Sri Lankans from areas like Moratuwa, Panadura, Hikkaduwa and Galle but most of them are not in the country.”
SSP Rohana declined to say how many members were in the smuggling ring. He would not reveal which countries they were now domiciled in. The Pakistani and Sri Lankan police forces are conducting a joint investigation. A three-member team from Pakistan’s Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) arrived in Sri Lanka last week.
The heroin was hidden in grease cans inside a container lying in the Orugodawatte yard. It had arrived from the port of Karachi. The traffickers had produced a letter allegedly signed by Keerthi Sri Weerasinghe, Coordinating Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, requesting a waiver of demurrages and Port charges as a concession to the importer. Mr Weersinghe has since resigned.
Three persons — two Sri Lankans and one Pakistani — were arrested in Sri Lanka in connection with the crime. The Pakistani has been identified as Kashif Jameel. The haul of heroin was detected in August and had a street value of Rs. 2.8 billion. The Government Analyst said after tests that 131 kilograms of the stock was pure heroin.
SSP Rohana said the ANF team was in Colombo at the request of Sri Lanka’s Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB). They are currently interrogating the Pakistani suspect. Another Pakistani suspect, Sardar Azad, 45, was arrested in Kashmir on an INTERPOL warrant.
Pakistani media reports said the PNB has requested through Sri Lanka’s Ministry of External Affairs for Mr. Azad to be handed over.
“We are hoping to get that particular person here,” said SSP Rohana, but could not confirm that a formal, written request had been sent.
The reports said Mr. Azad is now in the custody of Karachi police. They also said a Sri Lanka team will subsequently visit Pakistan to question the man in the hope of unearthing the drug traffickers’ network in Karachi.
“The ANF has booked the accused under section 9-C of the Control of Narcotics Substances Act in which a convict can get even the death penalty,” The Express Tribune quoted officials as saying. It also said the ANF has, in turn, approached Sri Lanka for the extradition of Mr. Kashif who is in Sri Lankan custody. He is also to be tried under Section 9-C.
When contacted, the External Affairs Ministry did not elaborate on reports of extradition requests. “The authorities from the two countries are working together on this sensitive matter,” a spokesman said. The Express Tribune said ANF has arrested three other suspects whose names have not been made public. Officials are quoted as saying they have a nexus with the drug traffickers.
“Customs officials said that it’s not the first time that such a large quantity of drugs was being smuggled from Karachi Port,” the newspaper said. “It appears that this business is becoming a trans-shipment hub in Sri Lanka for narcotics.”