Police crackdown on heroin worth Rs. 2 billion

COLOMBO (News 1st):- 192 kilograms of heroin valued at Rs 2 billion were seized from Bandaragama by the Police today (January 30). Three suspects were nabbed by the Police along with the narcotics. 15 kilograms of heroin had been seized by the Peliyagoda Police Special Operation Unit upon inspecting a motorcycle in the Gelanigama area in the vicinity of the Southern Expressway. Police said that a couple who had been travelling on the motorcycle, upon questioning, had confessed the location at which the narcotics were hidden. Accordingly, police had carried out a search operation in Bandaragama following which 177 kilograms of heroin had been recovered from a residence in the area. Police said that another woman had been arrested after 10 pistols and 19 magazines were recovered in addition to the narcotics. The owner of the house that the suspects had been residing said that the suspects had brought the house on the rent as soon as they had seen it and that they had resided in it for a monthly rent of Rs 20,000. Further, the owner claims that the house was rented out on lease for six months and a sum of Rs 80,000 was paid immediately. According to the house owners, the suspects had resided in the house for three months since their arrival and added that these individuals had claimed to be employed in a garment factory. The seized narcotics were transported to the Western Province Northern DIG's office in Peliyagoda this afternoon (January 30). Arriving at the location, State Minister of Defence Chamal Rajapaksa said; "We salute our police officers. The Acting IGP has requested that gifts be given to all police officers who were involved in this operation. The Police will continue to carry out similar operations in the future. We can then uncover details as to who is smuggling these narcotics." Also speaking to the media, Senior DIG in charge of the Western province, Deshabandu Tennakoon says; "This raid proves that there is a link between the illegal drug trade and the underworld. The latest weapons are being used to commit crimes when they reach the hands of criminals and underworld groups. These pistols are the latest ones manufactured in China, Pakistan, the US, and Austria. They are considered as the latest weapons by security units. Based on the details uncovered, we will be able to identify the main suspect who intervened in order to smuggle the narcotics." Police said that investigations are being carried out into the three suspects who are being questioned upon detention orders. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa too spoke of the usage of narcotics in the country. He said: "It is now clear that our children were negatively influenced by various narcotic substances and addicted to drugs in the past. The police discovered 150 kg of narcotic substances in Horana today. We have instructed the police to take strict action in this regard. We wish to state that the government has drawn its attention towards taking every possible action to eradicate narcotics."