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60 Katugastota cops transferred over missing IB, rise in crime
View(s):Sixty Katugastota police officers, including inspectors and sub inspectors, have been transferred and two officers interdicted following the mysterious disappearance of the Information Book and failure to curb crime in the area. Police sources said the book contained entries regarding drug-related crimes and the loss of the book had affected follow-up action by the ASP in charge of the area.
They said the transfers were ordered by Central Province Deputy Inspector General Mahinda Ekanayake who had expressed concern over a rise in crimes, including robberies, in Katugastota and the police failure to carry out raids. The sources said the DIG’s office had received several complaints against the Katugastota police.
Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered the destruction of nearly 1,000 kilograms of narcotics which have a street value of a staggering Rs. 38 billion. The drugs were seized during raids and detections in the past two years, officials said.
The Special Task Force (STF) has been told to destroy the drugs in consultation with the Attorney General’s Department and the Government Analyst’s Department. STF Commandant M.R. Lathif told the Sunday Times they were discussing how and where to destroy the narcotics which included heroin, cocaine and cannabis, among other drugs.
Earlier during a meeting with officials, the President had raised questions regarding what was being done with the detected narcotics.