The Negombo High Court has sentenced to life 10 foreigners on charges of drug trafficking.

The group was sentenced for smuggling and the possession of 146kg of heroin in 2016.

The sentenced foreigners are all Iranian nationals. (Newswire)

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Three individuals who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for the possession of heroin have been acquitted after a period of 25 years over an erroneous statement related to moonlight.

The suspects were acquitted after the case was called for a re-trial before Puttalam High Court Judge Nadee Aparna Suwandurugoda on May 11, 2023.

The three suspects were arrested on September 17, 1998, during a raid at Kalpitiya Beach conducted by the Chilaw Police and were found to be in possession of 10 kilos of heroin.

After non-summary proceedings, they were committed to stand trial at the Puttalam High Court where they were found guilty and handed life sentences on June 29, 2017.

However, during the re-trial, the defence successfully challenged the Police’s claim that the raid was conducted under moonlight.

Arguing the absence of moonlight during the alleged incident contradicted the Police’s testimony ultimately leading to doubts in the prosecution’s case and the acquittal of the accused. (NewsWire)

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Five suspects who were arrested and remanded for the possession of 196.98 kilos of heroin off the coast of Trincomalee in April 2019 have been released from the case. 

The suspects who were arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy while transporting the narcotics in international maritime waters were released by the High Court of Western Province. 

Taking up for hearing the case yesterday, the three-judge bench issued its verdict, stating that the charges filed against the accused have not been proven. 

The justices further stated that they cannot accept the statement provided by the Chief Inspector of the Police Narcotics Bureau in this case. 

Pointing out concerns on the manner in which investigations had been conducted into the case, the justices said it is evident that investigations have not been conducted properly and the statements provided by the Police are contradictory. 

The three-judge bench, therefore, released the suspects from the case stating that the charges have not been proven by the complainants. (NewsWire)

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