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by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE

The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) has requested the Commissioner General of Prisons Department Upali Samaraweera to hold a separate departmental inquiry to ascertain as to how a drug peddler attempted to deliver 95 grams of heroin to a prison guard at the Welikade Prison canteen last week, Police sources told the "Sunday Observer".

The PNB officials on a tip off, arrested the peddler with a haul of heroin believed to have been purchased from a dealer at the Magazine Road Borella.

PNB officials said the three prison guards linked to the drug racket will be interrogated in due course but out of the three, one guard has still not reported for duty, sources said.

Meanwhile a survey carried out by the Dangerous Drug Control Board has found that heroin and other drugs were being sold to prisoners by corrupt prison officials. Interior Minister John Amaratunga addressing senior Prison officials last week told that several prisons located in prime lands will be moved to less congested areas to provide adequate facilities to prisoners.

Meanwhile, the Interior ministry was also studying a proposal to dispose some prime lands of the Prisons Department and to purchase land in less congested areas. The Minister said that overcrowding was probably a cause for the riots at Tangalle prison.

Three teams have been appointed by the Interior Ministry to investigate the incident at Tangalle. According to police reports, an Asst. Supdt. of Police and the Chief Jailor at the Tangalle Prison has been found fault for the riot.

Prison Commissioner-General Upali Samaraweera said that there were around 20,000 prisoners islandwide. The congestions could be eased with the transfer of prisoners to several lock-ups in Hambantota, Embilipitiya, Trincomalee and elsewhere, he said. Altogether there are 25 lock-ups in the country.

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