Sunday Times 2
Drug trafficking: A joint operation produces results
View(s):By B.Anton Jeyanathan
Illegal drugs are brought in by fishing boats belonging to Sri Lankan fishermen in the Negombo, Chilaw, Beruwela, and Wattala areas who receive the consignments in mid sea from larger boats which originate from Indian waters.
It was heartening to note that the Sri Lanka Navy and the Police Narcotics Bureau jointly detected a large quantity of heroin, reportedly about 110 kgs, on board a boat which had entered the Galle area. According to the media and the newspaper reports, on information received from the Police Narcotics Bureau, having co-ordinated with the Sri Lanka Navy, the boat was intercepted off Galle where the detection was made. There had been altogether around 14 suspects or so, who were from Iran, and Pakistan. To my recollection, this is the first time a boat has been intercepted in the Sri Lankan waters where foreign nationals manning the boat, were engaged in drug trafficking. Consequent to this some Sri Lankans too have been arrested who had connections with the illegal import of heroin.
Joint Enforcement Task Force
I have been campaigning for a Joint Enforcement Task Force under the control of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) which should be tasked with interdiction of large scale heroin, cocaine, ganja etc, which come into our country from Tamil Nadu to convenient landing points in our country. Illegal drugs are brought in by fishing boats belonging to Sri Lankan fishermen in the Negombo, Chilaw, Beruwela, and Wattala areas, who receive the consignments in mid sea from larger boats which originate from Indian waters. Interdiction and interception of boats, yachts, ships etc, entering Sri Lanka waters is not a difficult task. We have a fleet of naval vessels, we have an Air Force, the Police Department, Customs and the Excise Departments who jointly could plan out the seizure of illegal drugs which are brought in by such boats and ships, preventing drugs entering our country.
Drug Intelligence Unit
Under the control of the (NDDCB) a vibrant unit should be set up comprising selected officers of the Police Department, Customs, Navy and Excise Department, to form this Drug Intelligence unit, to gather and collect information on the smugglers and financiers who are the king-pins who bring in large stocks of heroin illegally.
Our country’s status
In the categorization of countries by the Drug Law Enforcement Agencies our country is categorized as: a drug producing country, a drug consuming country and, a drug transshipment country.
a) “A drug producing country” – Our country cultivates cannabis (ganja), and thereby falls into the category of a drug producing country.
b) “A drug consuming country” – The number of drug dependents has been on the increase year by year, thereby it falls into the category of a drug consuming country.
c) “ A drug transshipment country” – Lastly, due to the strategic position of our country in the Indian ocean, our country has been used by drug smugglers to make use of our shipping facilities to transship heroin and cannabis (ganja) to European countries through our country. The recent detection of an Iranian owned trawler seized by the navy assisted by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) personnel off Dondra Point is undeniable proof that our country is a drug transshipment area.
In a recent news item, it was reported that the (PNB) personnel were able to apprehend Maldivian nationals engaged in drug trafficking, in Colombo, with the intelligence passed on to their local counterparts, by the Maldivian Drug Authority.
Drug Liaising Officers
Almost all countries who have their ambassadors or high commissioners in our country, have a Drug Liaising Officer (DLO) attached to the embassy staff to monitor the drug trafficking operation in our country as well as to assist the local drug enforcement agency in apprehending drug smugglers. Most of the (DLOs) have been very helpful to the PNB in passing on information about transshipment of drugs being smuggled into our country for the PNB to take necessary action to apprehend the suspects.
Drug consumption is on the increase which cannot be denied by any drug enforcement agency in our country. There is a high demand for heroin, and the detection of cocaine indicates that there are drug dependents on cocaine too in our country. Another aspect of drug smuggling which needs to be given close attention is the smuggling of ganja from across the Palk Straits to the entry points at Velvettiturai and Point Pedro in the Northern Province. The LTTE was known for making use of these entry points to smuggle illegal drugs and illegal arms. Velvettiturai and Point Pedro have been well known smuggling entry points for opium for many decades. Well known smugglers illegally brought in opium and transported the opium to Colombo where there was a high demand at that time before heroin replaced it as the drug of choice.
The combined effort has brought in results. Recently Sagala Ratnayaka, Minister of Law and Order, addressed the UN and vowed to eradicate this menace in our country. The new IGP who was at one time the Director of the PNB, has jump started his activities against the drug menace by addressing the members of the PNB as well as by participating in programs against drug abuse. What is necessary is action and not mere words.
Conclusion
The NDDCB should take immediate steps to set up a joint operation unit comprising members of the PNB, Customs, Navy, Air Force, and Excise Department, to interdict and prevent the supply of illegal drugs from across the Palk Strait as well as though local entry points, airports or ports etc.
The setting up of a Drug Intelligence Unit should be the next priority if we are to outwit smugglers and financiers who have a network of suppliers of illegal drugs. It may not be possible to cover the entire open sea area, but nothing is impossible if we could plan out surveillance and supervision of well known smuggling entry points to prevent drug smugglers as well as smuggling of arms from across the Palk Strait by drug smugglers and by the supporters of the LTTE. Let us act swiftly and decisively, before our future generation of youths is swallowed by the drug dragon.
(The writer is a retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Police.)