Sunday Times 2
Strengthening the Narcotics Bureau: An urgent need to curtail drug trafficking
This year alone we have witnessed many incidents of drug trafficking, especially heroin, cocaine and Kerala ganja being smuggled through airports, illegal entry points and hidden in containers. From the statistics made available by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) and the other law enforcement agencies, the quantity of drugs detected has been tremendous. If the detected amount is substantial, it has to be expected that there is another amount equal to the one detected or even more, which remains in the country undetected.
Death Penalty
Drug trafficking and the crimes related to drug trafficking have propelled the authorities to address this situation very seriously. The President has expressed an eagerness to fight the drug menace, even to the extent of re-introducing the death penalty. Just for the recollection of the readers, the death penalty on any accused, after being convicted of being found in possession of heroin with the minimum amount of 2 grams, was in force for the past three decades.
Subsequently, the law was changed for the death penalty to a person who was convicted of being in possession of heroin of about 10 grams or more. This was done with the sole purpose of roping in the sellers or distributors rather than the users. So the death penalty has been there in the legal domain, but unfortunately due to a government decree the death penalty was not implemented though several drug dealers were convicted and sentenced to death. The declaration by the President has attracted the attention of many religious dignitaries and foreign Human Rights Organizations. It is for the government to decide whether the death penalty will be a deterrent to prevent drug smugglers giving up their lucrative business.
Police Narcotics Bureau
The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) was established by the Police Department in 1973 by a Police gazette notification, having foreseen the dangerous trend in drug trafficking in our country.
The officers who were selected to this Bureau were chosen after having background checks for their honesty, integrity and capability. Most of the senior and junior Officers have been trained overseas on drug detection and prosecution. The PNB established in 1986 or thereabouts a branch at the Katunayake International Airport to work along with the Customs as well as independently to detect passengers smuggling narcotics from various countries. The detections made by the PNB and the Katunayake Airport Unit will vouch for their preventive action in detecting large quantities of drugs especially heroin and cocaine, which would have under normal circumstances come into the country, available for drug users and drug abusers. The PNB established a good working relationship with the Customs Officials who are working at the Katunayake Airport, which has resulted in many detections both by the PNB and the Customs Officers.
The details of these detections, dates, places and quantities of drugs seized are available at the PNB, which are too lengthy to be published in this article. As such, I give a gist of the detections made by the PNB during the period May to July 2018.
It is for the government and the Police Department to strengthen the PNB by way of logistical needs like vehicles, modern surveillance equipment, modern surveillance vehicles and other facilities. Most of the Police personnel attached to this Unit, especially the lower ranks, are not properly equipped. They travel from their homes living out of Colombo. They do not have any special allowances commensurate with the work they perform, at times risking their lives while keeping away from the temptation to accept bribes. It is for the government and the Police Department to consider special allowances so that they will continue to do an honest job of work.
National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB)
The NDDCB was established by an Act of Parliament in the year 1984. Under section 2 of this Act, the NDDCB was established as the “principal national institution charged with the formulation and review of a national policy relating to the prevention, control, treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers.”
The NDDCB has been actively involved in the above policy, except the aspect of control – under 7d of this Act that says “co-ordinate the activities of agencies engaged in prevention and control of dangerous drugs”. It is this very important act of co-ordination of activities of all agencies empowered with law enforcement that has not been given any recognition by the NDDCB. The NDDCB is a legally established organisation that should be action oriented and proactive in the leadership of the fight against drug trafficking. They should co-ordinate the activities of the PNB, the Customs and the Excise Department who are empowered to detect narcotic drugs. It is an undeniable fact that while a substantial quantity of drugs coming into this country is smuggled through the legal entry points, airports and harbour, the bulk of that comes through illegal entry points through boats in areas which are well known for smuggling across the Palk Strait.
In this fight against drug smuggling the Navy has a big role to play. Now that the war is over, the Navy which is well equipped with fast boats and other necessary equipment can be utilized to detect boats bringing in narcotic drugs into this country through identified illegal entry points.
Special Task Force under the NDDCB
Recommendations have been made to form a task force consisting of officers from the PNB, Customs, the Excise Department, the Navy, the Prisons Department and the Coast Guard, under the supervision of the Chairman of the NDDCB, which is mandated by the Act under Sect.7d, as stated above. This Task Force must engage in law enforcement activities, detection and also undertake preventive educational programmes too.
Drug Intelligence Unit
There has to be a specialized group within this Task Force to form a Drug Intelligence Unit so that they will analyse and study the pattern of financing, smuggling and distribution of narcotic drugs and the personnel involved in such activities. Intelligence can be obtained by cultivating “Informants” or “Agents” who are either engaged in such smuggling activities, or who have been members of such smuggling groups.
Synthetic Drugs
The death of two British nationals in Colombo following an overdose of drugs, the tragedy of four deaths after the beach party at Wadduwa, and a few other deaths have been attributed to the consuming of synthetic drugs. The effects of these were lethal as the deceased had consumed hard liquor. It is an undeniable fact that youngsters who throng clubs and casinos are known to be consuming synthetic drugs. This is another area where the Police Department and may be the Medical Department under whom the pharmacies are licensed, should look seriously as to the import and availability of such synthetic drugs to any customer.
Demand and supply
The sheer quantity of drugs detected is a clear indication that there is a high demand among users. Preventing smuggling through illegal entry points should not be a difficult task for the Navy and the Coast Guard. Law Enforcement Officers, the Customs and the Navy, are well aware of the illegal landing spots along the beaches of Negombo, Chilaw and Beruwela, which could be covered by way of deploying Navy craft and with good communication systems so that any boat or vessel approaching these identified illegal landing points could be apprehended at mid sea, within our waters, so that the smugglers and the illegal goods could be taken into custody.
No amount of law enforcement and detection are adequate to prevent the ever growing demand for such drugs. The young generation, due to various social and economic reasons, are mistakenly dragged into this net of drugs. Awareness programmes should be conducted in a meaningful way in schools, universities and other institutions, with the assistance of the Department of Education, where the Law Enforcement Officers play a role in convincing youth to keep away while educating them of the dangers to be encountered should they experiment with such drugs.
(The writer is a retired DIG)