IGP’s new action plan pays dividends:

Drastic drop in crime rate

By Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Concerted efforts by the Police to control narcotics, illicit liquor and the crime rate, the Western Province has seen a remarkable progress as they could bring the illicit brewing almost ninety per cent down within the Western Province whilst crime solving rate also has seen a remarkable progress.

Senior DIG Western Province, Traffic Management Road Safety and Police Field Force Headquarters, Asoka Wijetilleka explaining the progress of their raids said the intelligence based operations carried out throughout the years has positive results to bring down illicit brewing in the Province.

“We are still continuing with this operation and we are not complacent. We wanted to make a complete stop to this ”, he added.

“In respect of vice detection and narcotics a concerted effort is being made to apprehend and detect all those who are involved.

We have streamlined the operational systems and enhanced the strength in each Police station in the Western province to conduct successful raids. We are working on intelligence based operations now unlike in the past”, he added.

The Senior DIG said they have deployed the plain clothesmen in various parts in the Police areas in the Western province where vice and narcotic activities supposed to be high.

“On the basis of intelligence raids are conducted and we have been successful in many instances. IGP has specially initiated an action plan to eradicate vice and narcotic menace in this country.

As far as vice detections are concerned especially the manufacture of goda, illicitly brewed kasippu, Police have been concentrating areas like Negombo, Kochchikade, Kotadeniyawa, Jaela, Kadawatha, Kandana and Nittambuwa in the Western Province North range, Welikada, Maharagama, Padukka, Thalangama, Piliyandala, Moratuwa, Angulana and Mount Lavinia in the Western Province South range and in Beruwala, Aluthgama Kalutara, Mathugama, Meegahatenna and Bulathisinhala in the extreme south of the Western Province southern range.

“We have been very successful in detecting of large quantities. We are continuously conducting raids and as a result illicit brewing has come to almost ninety per cent down in the manufaturing trade and also in the distribution”, the senior DIG added.

“We are doing this in the best interest of the public and the large interest of the society so that they will not get to consuming hazardously manufactured liquor of this nature”, he added.During the last two months alone the Police in the Western province has conducted 41 raids to detect large illicit brewing spots. Apart from this similar drive has been launched under the guidance of the Inspector General of Police control narcotics in the Western province.

“We have formed special teams on intelligence led operation to detect and apprehend those who involved in bringing narcotic drugs to Sri Lanka, those who involved in the transportation, those who are involved in the distribution and finally those who are consuming them at street levels”, he added.

Within last two months 37 successful raids have been conducted to detect large-scale and small-scale heroin detection raids.

“We have been very very successful in the operations and apprehended very many suspects who have been really involved in transportation and key suspects who have involved in trafficking.

They have been produced in Courts and remanded”, he added.

In the sphere of the crime prevention police have been able to solve many cases and apprehended many suspects. Four suspects arrested from Moragahahena Police area last month have enable to solve 13 cases of house breaking and robberies.

“Likewise we have been successful in solving many other cases. The arrest of one person in Anguruwathota, on December 21 has also led to solving nine similar house breaking incidents”, he added.

The abduction and ransom cases which had become a controversial issue at present has also been solved with the arrest of such groups within the Western province.

“On December 12, we arrested five persons who are from Kegalle, Mabole, Kotiyakumbura and Godakawela and were able to successfully solved four cases where people have been abducted for ransom. We have been successful in securing sufficient evidence to prosecute them,” he added.

On December 19 also Police arrested two suspects and busted a similar operation conducted them to threatening to abduct them asking for ransom. “These arrested two groups consisted of all civilian people”, he added.

“We conduct separate crime prevention operations now in the Western province with the full participation of senior officers so that the operation itself is well coordinated and well supervised to produce positive results.

These operations have been a success as we have arrested and solve many cases”, he added. Apart from this Police vigilance in the streets in the nights have also helped preventing major incidents.

“Likewise, we have brought down the crime rate comparatively last year and also our crime solving rates during past three months are very very high,” he added.

The Senior DIG said that the public support is very important in all spheres of crime prevention, detection of vice and detection of narcotics and added that to crime prevention there are certain additional requirements that has to be followed indirect manner by the public.

“They should not leave things for granted , not leave house doors, windows open unnecessarily exposing yourself and targeting yourself”, he added. He said that there are few instance people have gone on shopping after their vehicles parked without locking them while keeping things inside.

“So chances must be prevented by conscious type of public activities. That is also very important. The Police are there to support the public and the public also in turn be mindful of their action and take care of their own things. Protect their own things without allowing anyone to come and commit a crime.

That is very essential because if one thing happens due to your negligence you can’t point an accusing finger at the Police”, he added.