Convicts pay Rs 2000 for a phone call from prison

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Commandant of the Police Special Task Force, Senior DIG M.R. Latiff stated at an event in Colombo on Thursday (July 12th) that despite bilateral relations, some foreign states hesitate to extradite fugitives wanted in Sri Lanka for various reasons. The Senior DIG expressed these views at the BCIS seminar on Transnational Organized Crimes in Sri Lanka. Latiff revealed during the event that there are two wanted fugitives in the UAE who have Interpol notices against them (one red and one blue). These criminals are believed to control their operations in Sri Lanka from overseas. However, despite assurances by the UAE foreign Minister, Sri Lanka continues to face difficulties in repatriating these individuals to Sri Lanka. The STF Commandant went onto note that prison officials have created a conducive environment for criminals especially drug dealers to operate from behind bars. He revealed that prison officials make money by allowing convicts to make phone calls. Latiff noted that some prison officials make upto Rs 30,000 a month by allowing phone calls that cost around Rs 2000 (per call). He added that even though mobile jammers have been placed inside prisons they are not effectively serviced, monitored or scrutinized.