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High-level drug menace to face powerful taskforce
Battling a “really powerful” drug ring, the newly-appointed Minister of Public Order, Disaster Management and Christian Affairs, John Amaratunga said a special taskforce will be appointed to tackle the escalating flow of drugs into the country.
“We will set up a task force that will be headed by a senior DIG and the Commissioner of Excise,” Mr Amaratunga told the Sunday Times.
The comments came in the wake of the arrest of notorious drug lord, Samantha Kumara alias “Wele-Sudha” and separate revelations that a former police Inspector-general of Police (IGP) and a “young parliamentarian” from Colombo were involved in smuggling drugs to the country.
Alleging that certain Customs officers were also corrupt, Mr. Amaratunga said, “We will find the influential people behind this and take them to a court of law. Every person behind these plots will be brought to justice irrespective of their posts or influences.
Wele-Sudha
“The drug ring is really powerful,” the Minister added. “We need to have a strong group of informants to gather information on who is involved in the smuggling and distribution of drugs into the country. “This menace has spread so much that Sri Lanka was recently classified as a centre for narcotic distribution. Drugs come into the country through fishing harbours and containers. The task force that will be appointed will pay close attention to these key areas.”
Wele Sudha was arrested in Pakistan last week and brought to Sri Lanka by a top-level team including the Officer-in-Charge of the Police Narcotics Bureau and officers of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
He had allegedly attempted to smuggle a consignment of heroin to Sri Lanka shortly before his apprehension by Pakistani police.
Wele Sudha’s confession led to the revelation of a drug ring that had been operating with the aid of several officials and VIP figures in Sri Lanka since 2012.
Narcotics officers declined to comment on the investigations but police spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana gave some further details.
“After a thorough interrogation by the CID Wele Sudha revealed six names. Among them were the names of a ‘young parliamentarian from Colombo’ and his private secretary.”
Wele Sudha, he said, had confessed to allegedly paying the parliamentarian Rs. 2.5 million a month as a bribe.
The arrested man’s statement also included the names of two police sub-inspectors and a police sergeant said to be involved in the heroin racket. One sub-inspector and the sergeant have already left the police service.
Parallel to this investigation, police interrogating a third party involved in drug peddling have been told that a former IGP had been involved in a property transaction connected to the drug trade.
“The former IGP who was allegedly involved in the scheme is currently out of the country,” SSP Rohana said. “If, however, he is proven guilty we will take the necessary steps to make an arrest.”
Continuing CID investigations have also revealed that Wele Sudha has been involved in terrorism and human trafficking as well as drug smuggling.
Wele Sudha managed to escape and flee the country in 2011 while two cases against him were pending in the courts. He had been arrested two years previously in connection with several drug related crimes.
He travelled to India under a false identity shortly after he befriended another Sri Lankan drug lord named Kimbulawela Gunna alias Gunasekaram, a senior police officer said.
Soon afterwards, Wele Sudha obtained another false passport under the name of Sunil Wijesinghe and flew to Singapore in 2012. After staying in Singapore for a few days he made his way to Pakistan. There, he set up a drug base from which he smuggled heroin to Sri Lanka, Dubai, Singapore and Pakistan, SSP Rohana said.