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Heroin, cocaine, and Kerala cannabis hauls enough to fill warehouses
View(s):By Nadia Fazlulhaq
From sacks of wet cannabis washed ashore to parcels with synthetic narcotic drugs sent by post, the drug menace continues to haunt the country with thousands of kilos being seized.
According to Police, 91,384 suspects have been arrested in connection with narcotic drugs last year.
Police statistics revealed that 46,258 suspects were arrested in 46,396 heroin-related raids between January 1 and December 18 last year, and 1,548kg of heroin were recovered.
Another 34,499 suspects were arrested and 12,146 kg of Kerala cannabis were found.
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- Sacks of wet cannabis being washed ashore. Pix courtesy Sri Lanka Navy.
About 370kg of cocaine were recovered in 23 raids and 27 suspects were arrested last year.
More than 10,000 suspects have been arrested for crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’) related offences. And 237kg of ‘ice’ had been seized.
Thirty-nine kilos of hashish were seized last year, while 65 suspects were arrested for possession of hashish.
The navy said it would ramp up search operations this year, both in the northern and southern waters.
Navy spokesman Gayan Wickramasuriya said 42 locals were arrested in January and eight boats transporting narcotic drugs were seized. In January, the navy found 164 kg of Kerala cannabis and 15kg of local cannabis. Over 5,000kg of ebony (kendu) leaves were found on boats this month.
“The economic crisis has pushed some fishermen towards the narcotic transport mafia. Strengthening search operations and arresting those involved will discourage them,” Captain Wickramasuriya said.
A 20-year-old youth was arrested and about 10kg of Kerala cannabis was found in Wattakachchi, Kilinochchi this week.
The navy said Kerala cannabis was found after interrogating a suspect who was roaming in a paddy field in the area. With support of the Police Special Task Force, five packages of cannabis were found in the paddy field.
Among recent detections are 49kg of Kerala cannabis worth more than Rs. 16 million in the northern waters off Delft Island in Jaffna.
Over 60kg (wet weight) of Kerala cannabis worth over Rs. 20 million were also seized in a search on the beach area of Analthivu island in Jaffna last month. Another two suspects were arrested with over 54kg of Kerala cannabis in Norochcholai and Anuradhapura New Town.
“We have increased patrols and search operations in the southern waters to seize boats with heroin and ‘ice’ coming from Iran, and Pakistan sea routes,” Capt. Wickramasuriya said. Most of those arrested by police for possessing heroin and ‘ice’ this week were between 30 and 40 years of age.
Among suspects held this week are a 40-year-old from Angulana who had nine grams of heroin, a 36-year-old woman from Ragama who had five grams of heroin, a 36-year-old from Thalangama north who had 12 grams of crystal meth, a 32-year-old from Dehiwala who had six grams of crystal meth, and a 30-year-old from Homagama who had five grams of heroin. A senior official at the Central Mail Exchange said since the installation of scanners three years ago, narcotic drugs, especially synthetic drugs in the form of pills, have been detected regularly.
He said recent detections were in parcels and packages from the United States and the United Kingdom.
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