PNB intensifies investigations to uncover Brazilian connection in 90 kg cocaine haul
In the wake of an over 90 kg cocaine haul at the Customs yard in Colombo last month, the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) has intensified investigations to uncover ties between Sri Lankan drug kingpins and Brazilian drug dealers. This largest cocaine seizure with a street value of around Rs.2 billion rupees (US$13.8 million) has aroused the suspicion of the PNB that Sri Lanka is fast becoming a preferred transit hub of international drug dealers, especially cocaine smugglers, Finance Ministry Special Narcotics Raids Unit head, Wing Commander (Rtd.) Ravi Jayasinghe told the Business Times, who said they are working with the PNB in this case.
The Brazilian Embassy has also given an assurance that they will conduct investigations from the other end by tracking down the exporter of this sugar stock, he said adding that the bill of landing and other customs documents confirmed that the sugar stock has been directly transported to Sri Lanka from Brazil. A Brazilian Embassy official who met him recently has assured that they will extend all assistance from their end to find the international drug syndicate and the drug dealer behind this massive cocaine smuggling racket, he revealed. There is not much of a demand for cocaine in the country as it is very expensive he said adding that the Brazil embassy in Colombo will reveal the identity of those who were behind this particular cocaine racket in their country and as to how it was concealed in a sugar consignment from the loading port.
However he noted that the investigations into the incident will take several months to complete due to its complicated nature and well planed manner. The PNB is also trying to determine the final destination of the stock of cocaine as they believe that Colombo is only a transit point for the illicit drug. One of the partners of particular sugar firm named Vasudevan who is now under police detention along with its manager and wharf clerk was present at the time of detection of the stock of cocaine and he was surprised when custom officials found the dangerous drugs inside a sugar container brought to the country by his firm, Wing Commander (Rtd) Jayasinghe said adding that the suspect has complied with the investigation.
The detection was made on a tip-off received by Sub Inspector K.A. Premalal attached to the Unit OIC of the newly established Special Narcotic Raid Unit of the Finance Ministry. He said Vasudevan a partner of the Pettah Firm importing sugar during the past three decades has denied any involvement in the cocaine racket, but his connection as the importer of the consignment has made him a suspect in the case. Selvarajah Jegatheeswaran, another suspect in the case who is still at large has alleged to have purchased properties worth more than Rs.7 billion during the past few months, he said adding that the Police believe that the suspect who is evading arrest is in India.
It has been revealed that this Pettah sugar firm is not directly importing sugar from Brazil but through a local agent of Brazil Company which has bonded ware house in Sri Lanka. The local agent used to place orders with the company in Brazil and prepare the necessary documents while confirming the rates for local buyer. The local buyer is allocated the stocks of sugar from the containers being transported by ships consigned by Brazil Company, Attorney at Law, Ajith Pathirana Counsel appearing for the suspect Vasudevan told the Business Times.
In this particular instance 184 containers had imported by the local agent and of those 54 containers were allocated to the Pettah sugar firm, he said noting that the stock of cocaine was concealed in one of those 54 containers. He added that at the time of signing documents with the local agent, the Pettah sugar firm cannot ascertain which containers allocated to them or on which date it will arrive in the port There was no way for the Pettah firm of having prior knowledge of the numbers of containers that they are going to receive and it can be known only when they arrived in Sri Lanka, he pointed out.