Pakistan help sought to crack down heroin smuggling racket

L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

Investigations on the Rs. 12 million heroin smuggling racket have revealed that the Pakistan business partner of the Sri Lankan potato import firm, had fled the country four days prior to the detection by Customs.

Two Sri Lankan businessmen, one of whom police described as a millionaire were arrested by the PNB after the container carrying 1,900 bags of potatoes in which two and half kilograms of heroin had been concealed were seized by customs on Monday.

The `modus operandi' of the smugglers had been to use potato shaped plastic containers. Customs had spent over 10 hours to crack this smuggling racket.Subsequent investigations had revealed that the heroin smugglers had imported seven consignments of potatoes during the past four months.The assistance of the Pakistan police has been sought to arrest the two Pakistanis who had shipped the contraband to Sri Lanka.