Narcotics smuggling has dropped sharply - Customs Director Leslie Gamini

by Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana

One of the serious allegations made by the Common Opposition to sling mud at the government is that there is a major breakdown of law and order in thew country. Importation of illicit substances such as ethanol and heroin and defending the law breakers are some of the charges.

Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana	NCPA Chairperson Anoma Dissanayake
Excise Spokesman Superintendent Prabath Jayawickrama	Customs Spokesman Director Leslie Gamini

This was aggravated by a recent remark made by a senior opposition Parliamentarian that there are at least four child abuse cases reported a day in the country and that law enforcement authorities would turn a blind eye to the powerful politicians who commit grave crimes.

The Sunday Observer spoke to several representatives of the leading law enforcement agencies in the country last week to obtain their views on the matter.

Responding to the allegations Chairperson National Child Protection Authority Mrs. Anoma Dissanayake told the Sunday Observer that it is not clear what the opposition politicians meant by saying at least four child abuse cases are reported daily, as there are several forms of child abuse.

The National Child Protection Authority is the body entrusted with the task of protecting children from abuse in Sri Lanka under the National Child Protection Authority Act No. 50 of 1998,It has recognised four main types of child abuse in the country.

According to the law every human being below 18 is considered a child and the forms of child abuse are physical, sexual , psychological and emotional abuse.

The allegations were not clear to which form of abuse they were referring to as no solid details have been provided.

Mrs. Dissanayake said that the present situation related to child abuse has been thoroughly controlled compared to the situation a decade ago.

New avenues have been introduced to report child abuse cases through hotlines and centres opened in all districts. Also special programs are being conducted in schools countrywide to educate children on how to prevent themselves from being abused.

The number of child abuse cases has dropped in the recent past, according to data. She said that the situation has improved and added that steps have been taken to prevent abuses.

Sri Lankan Government was recognised as the Best Child Friendliness Government in South Asia and the country was nominated as the most child protected country in the region. The recognition has been made by Initiative Against to End Violence Against Children.

Dissanayake challenged, those who say that Sri Lanka is not a safe place for children, to come up with facts to prove allegations rather than to sling mud at the government.

Meanwhile responding to the allegations made by opposition members that ethanol and heroin are being smuggled into the country in large containers, Customs Spokesman Director Leslie Gamini said that each information received by the Customs intelligence units were used to make detections of narcotics during the past few years.

He said the Customs detected a large Ethanol consignment in 2013 and since then the operations against potential illicit imports had been intensified. A number of major heroin detections were made in the recent past and as a result the number of attempts to smuggle have dropped, Gamini said.

Numerous attempts were made to smuggle gold into the country through airports during the past 18 months. The Customs officials deployed at the Bandaranaike International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport made a series of detections to prevent attempts to smuggle gold into and out of the country.

There were certain months in mid 2014 that up to 10 to 12 gold smuggling cases were reported from Katunayake but it was only two cases that were reported in December.The Customs Director believes that regular detections and surveillance operations had discouraged smugglers..

Addressing the Ethanol issue Spokesman Excise Department Superintendent

Prabath Jayawickrama said that they are doing their best to counter the illicit liquor menace in the country.

Following a major detection in 2013 and two major raids in 2014, the department is having a watchful eye on illicit ethanol imports and attempts being made to smuggle out from the Customs. He said the units that are entrusted with the subject is monitoring the situation and they pay no heed to any external pressure. Apart from the illicit importation of Ethanol and smuggling into the country, the substance is produced illegally in the country.. Whatever the methods being followed by the smugglers and local illicit traders detections are carried out to nab the culprits.

When asked whether they were under political pressure in conducting operations Superintendent Jayawickrama said pressure from any party will not hamper operations to arrest those violating the law..

Spokesperson for Sri Lanka Police SSP Ajith Rohana is one who come under scrutiny and criticism by the opposition frontliners since lately, over statements he made on various issues.

He was questioned for the police inaction to apprehend the Southern Provincial Council Minister Nishantha Mutuhettigama prior to his departure to Singapore while an arrest warrant has been issued by the courts.

Responding to this SSP Rohana said that the inaction of a single officer who let the provincial councillor forcibly release three suspects from the custody could not define the state of the entire department. Strict action will be taken against the officer involved in the case and for the lapses on his behalf.

He said every one is equal before law. Although there was an arrest warrant for Nishantha Mutuhettigama, there was no travel ban on him. This is why the authorities at the airport did not prevent his departure but said measures had been taken for his immediate arrest upon arrival.

Also number of local government politicians were arrested for violating election laws in the foremath of Presidential elections, irrespective of party or background.

He said explicit instructions had been received by the Inspector General of Police to enforce the law impartially.

Sri Lanka has been recognised as a leading country in the Rule of Law Index by World Justice Project in 2014 in South Asia and 10 in the Asia Pacific Region, he said.