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| Sunday, 22 June 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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The twin menace of drug addiction and trafficking June 23 to 29 is Anti -Drug Abuse Week in Sri Lanka. And as the Ministry of Interior intensifies efforts to tackle the twin menace of drug addiction and drug trafficking, we take an indepth look at this lucrative illicit trade, where an estimated 100,000 addicts spend Rs. 50 million on their daily dose of heroin. We also explore the ominous new developments where prescription drugs are being used to manufacture potent intoxicants and where designer drugs are being administered to unsuspecting females by their male partners. by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE Large quantities of drugs that are imported into the country by state corporations and other private sector organisations are being misused by quacks and others to produce various forms of intoxicants and stimulants to get persons hooked. Although producers of such drugs cannot be brought before court due to several loopholes, the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) is keeping a close tab on these products, Police Narcotics Bureau's (PNB) Director, SSP, Pujith Jayasundera said. Meanwhile, an investigation by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) had found that Ecstasy, often referred to as the "date rape" drug in western countries, administered to females who patronise some of the popular night clubs in Colombo. "The drug is randomly and secretly administered to females by their partners and the police have found it difficult to nab users of the drug." PNB's Director, SSP Pujith Jayasundera said. However, heroin continues to be the most lucrative enterprise despite new innovations and entries with over 100,000 drug addicts in the country spending nearly Rs 50 million a day to sustain their addiction. In the metropolitan area alone there are 10,000 addicts, with an individual addict spending around Rs 500 a day on drugs. "Can you name a better business enterprise in Sri Lanka where a sum of Rs 50 million is spent for a day queried SSP Jayasundera. He said that that was a staggering amount for a small country and a tremendous economic loss. Students from leading schools in Colombo have also been found to be addicted to drugs. SSP. Jayasundera said that the 249 kg haul of heroin detected in Chennai this year was destined to Sri Lanka. "We have found this amount to be around 50 percent of the total heroin detected in India. However only 10-15 percent of the heroin smuggled to Sri Lanka was detected. This means the bulk of the stuff was smuggled out of the country." he said. A large quantity of heroin smuggled into the country from India enters through Talaimannar and Vavuniya. The on-going ceasefire has contributed to this development, with the drug traffickers taking the maximum advantage of the situation as only a few naval crafts patrol the Palk Strait. In a high powered boat, it takes only 45 minutes to transport the drugs from Rameswaran to Talaimannar. But drugs also enter the country through the coastal belt from Kalpitiya to Hikkaduwa. Here the fishermen are responsible for the smuggling. Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) figures show that 12 kgs and 600 grams of heroin was detected during the first quarter of this year. But the biggest haul was 38 kg. of heroin in Chilaw three years ago. Heroin is also brought here from the "Golden Triangle" of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan where poppy is grown. Drugs are also brought in from the Golden Crescent region that includes Myanmar, Lagos and Thailand. The drugs from these regions are often smuggled to western Europe because of their quality and purity. According to reports drugs are trans-shipped in containers through the Port of Colombo. Drug traffickers adopt various ruses to smuggle heroin through the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). Often packeted heroin is pasted to large consignments of clothes. Often baggages with several false bottoms are also used for this purpose. Well-known brands of packeted milk powder are sometimes stuffed with heroin as are neatly packeted sweets. SSP Jayasundera said that the biggest constraint in detecting those involved in smuggling is that they do not have the power to probe ill-gotten wealth. The Police and Excise department are empowered to nab trafficking. The PNB has already proposed to the Government to amend existing legislation enabling the police to investigate the accumulation of wealth of suspected traffickers. DIG, Police Narcotics Bureau, Gerard Ignatius said that it was very vital to cultivate a net of informants who could tip off the police about drug traffickers and the ploys adopted to smuggling in drugs. "At present such information is not forthcoming and we are striving hard to build a net work of informants. It's only then that we could act swiftly and bring them to justice." Three Sri Lankans including a resident of Jampettah suspected to be involved in drug smuggling were taken into custody by the police in Chennai along with a 5 kg., of heroin. One of the suspects committed suicide by hanging himself with his shirt while in the custody of Indian police. He had been domiciled in India for a long period. The other two are now being interrogated by the PNB. The Sri Lankan Police Department has signed an agreement with the Maldivian Police Department to train dog handlers and sniffer dogs in the archipelago to detect drug trafficking. PNB sources said that the brown sugar variety from India was smuggled via Sri Lanka to Maldives despite stringent laws there. However a small quantity of heroin was detected during the last few years. Heroin smuggling has become a lucrative business in the Maldives due to tourism. Prison officials are also known to peddle drugs. Last year the PNB requested the Commissioner General of Prisons to hold a departmental inquiry to find how a drug peddler attempted to deliver 95 grams of heroin to a prison guard at the Welikada Prison canteen. On a tip off, the peddler was arrested with a haul of heroin believed to have been purchased from a dealer at Magazine Road Borella. The National Dangerous Drugs Control Board figures show that 10,000 persons have been arrested for heroin offences in 2002. Of this number around 8,000 persons were arrested from the Western province. The total number of drug addict arrests in 2002 was 18,450, which shows an increase of 19 percent compared to 2001. The number of heroin cases increased by 7 percent. The number of males arrested for all types of drugs was more than the females. Meanwhile, the number of Sri Lankans arrested abroad for drug offences in 2002 was three times more than that of foreigners arrested in Sri Lanka. ***** "Rehabilitation of drug addicts was the biggest problem facing the country. Except for one rehabilitation centre, we do not have proper centres that methodically rehabilitate drug addicts," said SSP Jayasundera. According to National Dangerous Drugs Control Board that majority of persons who received treatment were between 20-40 age groups. They received treatment in the state centres and by private treatment facilities and prison treatment centres. Many received residential treatment for drug use, followed by allopathic and acupuncture treatment during 2002. Eighty seven percent of persons treated for drug abuse came from Western province and 68 percent from Colombo district. This was followed by Southern and North -Western provinces. Heroin was the drug of choice of most persons who came for treatment, while "chasing the dragon" (Chinese method) was the most preferred method of consumption. ***** A drug courier nabbed by the Police Narcotics Bureau in 1972 had swallowed 113 condoms filled with heroin and he had to be operated to extricate the stuff from his stomach. The suspect later admitted that it was his 27th attempt to smuggle in drugs to Sri Lanka. " Had the condoms burst in his stomach he could have died instantly. But that is the type of risk these people take to smuggle in drugs because of the enormous profits" SSP, Jayasundera said. ***** Interior and Christian Affairs Ministry has declared June 23 to 29 as the anti drug abuse week to coincide with the UN declared International Drug Day which falls on June 26. Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Interior and Christian Affairs Minister John Amaratunga will participate at this year's celebrations to be held at the Central Bank Auditorium at Rajagiriya. ######### Wear a yellow ribbon and show your concern by Panduka Senanayake The yellow ribbon, long used to show concern and love for another would be greatly in evidence during the Anti-Narcotic week from June 23-29. Used to symbolise love and caring following the immense popularity of the old and popular song 'Tie a yellow ribbon', it would be given a new twist and used as a yellow ribbon badge to show concern about the drug problem in Sri Lanka. Plans are afoot by the organisers of the Anti-Narcotic Week to distribute 50,000 yellow ribbon badges free of charge among students and other members of the public to bring about an awareness of the drug problem faced by Sri Lanka. Anti-Narcotic Stickers, Banners, Logos and Poster campaigns, street dramas and teledramas to educate general public, live TV and radio discussions and lectures by prominent personalities to educate school children are among the other activities organised by the PNB along with the Interior Ministry. On Wednesday, Director Police Narcotics Bureau, Senior Superintendent Pujith Jayasundera explained to the media how deep rooted the narcotics menace is in Sri Lanka and how it has come to the forefront as the biggest enemy faced by the country's youth now that the fighting in the north and east has ceased. From a description of dangerous drugs, the history of the 30 year old PNB, its raison d'etre, the heroin producing golden triangle and the golden crescent, 100,000 Sri Lankan heroin addicts, Jayasundera stressed the need for all Sri Lankans to assist in the eradication of dangerous drugs. Citing statistics he said that Colombo's 100,000 heroin addicts spent Rs. 500 per day to feed their habits which earned the drug barons a thumping Rs. 50 million per day! He pointed out that certain regulations, that would have had a stranglehold on the illicit drug trade are still in the back burner, years after they were proposed by the enforcement agencies. Mentioning that Sri Lanka has no proper rehabilitation centre for drug dependents Jayasundera said that much needs to be done by Sri Lankans to safeguard the youth of the country. |
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