Sugar import firm co-owner ran transshipment ring: 

Hunt for local business tycoon cum cocaine baron

By Ranil Wijayapala

Teams of CID and Narcotics sleuths are now hunting for little-known business tycoon Selvarajah Jegatheeswaran, suspect co-conspirator in last week’s billion-rupee cocaine detection, Sri Lanka’s single largest ever drug bust.

At stake is the location of dozens more cargo containers believed to have slipped through the Customs net into the country possibly carrying more of the expensive illegal stimulant drug.

Police are also trying to ascertain the final destination of the stock of cocaine since they believe that Colombo is only a transit point for the illegal drug.

The man-hunt by the Police Narcotics Bureau and the Criminal Investigation Department follows their detection of 80 kilograms of cocaine inside a container carrying a consignment of sugar imported to the country by the firm of which Jegatheeswaran is an owning partner along with his brother Vasudevan.

Wing Commander (Retd) Ravi Jayasinghe, head of the Special Narcotics Raids Unit of the Finance Ministry said told the Sunday Observer that the Police have gathered information that Selvarajah Jegathesewaran, the brother of Vasudevan, who has been arrested and detained by the Police, is the partner of the sugar company which has been importing sugar to Sri Lanka for decades.

Suspicion had arisen as Police gathered information that Jegatheeswaran has purchased properties worth more than Rs.7 billion during the past few months with the last property being purchased in Wellawatta area.

“The Police Narcotics Bureau believes that it can make a breakthrough about the consignment after his arrest,” he said.

Investigators believe that such a big quantity of cocaine detected by the Special Narcotics Raids Unit of the Finance Ministry, could not be marketed in Sri Lanka since there is no such market for cocaine in Sri Lanka as it is a highly expensive drug even in Western countries.

He said the wanted suspect, is now abroad and they are seeking international support to arrest him.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian Embassy has also ensured Sri Lanka they will conduct investigations from the other end by arresting the exporter of this sugar stock.

“It has been confirmed that the sugar stock has been directly transported to Sri Lanka from Brazil,” Jayasinghe said.