Attempts to smuggle drugs worth millions foiled

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

Attempts by several passengers to smuggle in heroin, hashish and Babul worth millions of rupees to the country last week at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) were foiled by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) sleuths, Police sources told the Sunday Observer.

On Thursday, a Pakistani woman who attempted to smuggle in one kilogramme and 240 grammes of hashish concealed in a box was arrested along with a Pakistani national living at Wariyapola by the Police Narcotics Bureau sleuths.

The suspect woman had arrived on flight No 184 at the BIA from Karachi, police said.

A Nepalese national who arrived at the BIA from Bangkok on flight No 307 on Thursday having swallowed 60 capsules containing heroin (White sugar variety) was arrested by the Police Narcotics Bureau sleuths after they followed him to Kandy.

The capsules had weighed 396 grammes, 450 milligrammes worth over Rs. 2 million, police said

Meanwhile, a joint operation launched by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) along with Customs officials seized a consignment of Hans Babul weighing 38 kilogrammes and 500 grammes in the possession of two Sri Lankan passengers who attempted to smuggle it at the BIA. The consignment of Hans Babul was brought from Chennai, India. Customs officials confiscated the consignment and imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 40,000 each on the two suspects, police said.

The Police Special Task Force (STF) also arrested a man with 230 grammes of heroin at the Pettah bus stand. The suspect was handed over to the PNB for further inquiries. A man who possessed 21 kilogrammes of cannabis was arrested by PNB sleuths in Moratuwa, last week. The cannabis had been smuggled from Embilipitiya. The three wheeler used to transport the cannabis was also taken into police custody.