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37 Western Province police officers addicted to narcotics
Thirty-seven Western Province police officers have been identified as allegedly being addicted to narcotics.
Police Chief C.D. Wickramaratne has forwarded their names to the Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) Deshabandu Tennakoon who is in charge of the Western Province, with instruction to take action.
SDIG Tennakoon has in turn forwarded the list to the DIGs in charge of the Colombo Range, Kalutara Range, Western Province Southern Range and Western Province Northern Range.
Twenty-eight of these officers are from the Colombo Range, six from the Kalutara Range, two from the Western Province Northern Range and one from the Western Province Southern Range. SDIG Tennakoon’s letter has instructed the DIGs to carry out initial inquiries regarding the officers and, based on what is uncovered, to present the officers before a doctor and obtain a report on whether the officers are using drugs. DIGs have also been instructed to forward reports with their recommendations on whether the officers should be interdicted from service.
According to the list seen by the Sunday Times, the majority of the officers are listed as being addicted to cannabis. However, several are listed as being addicted to “Ice” while at least two are alleged to be addicted to heroin.