DIG in alleged link with gem smuggler

A Deputy Inspector General (DIG) attached to Police Headquarters has come under CID investigation after he walked to the arrival area of the Colombo airport in official uniform to meet a passenger and later allegedly interfered when the Customs found that the man was smuggling gems.

The passenger, a local businessman, arriving in a SriLankan airlines flight from Pakistan was found to have in his possession gems valued at Rs. 400,000 and was fined Rs 10,000 while the gems were confiscated by the Customs.

The gems were concealed in the businessman’s pocket.

CID detectives were called in by Police chief Victor Perera to probe the conduct of the DIG after it was alleged that he had gone past the Immigration and Customs areas to receive the passenger.

Then he had waited till the passenger cleared customs. This was when the detection was made. Police narcotics officers also searched the businessman.

He had travelled at least on four previous occasions.