Former President Maithripala Sirisena has revealed that a group of Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) officers, once honoured with Presidential Awards for major drug seizures, were later found to be connected to drug lords and underworld figures.

Speaking at an event, Sirisena recalled that during his presidency, he ordered the destruction of narcotics worth millions, seized by the PNB. 

Based on the bureau’s recommendations, he presented Presidential Awards to the officers involved.

“Within a week or two of the awards, it came to light that they were the main persons associated with drug lords and underworld figures, and were involved in the drug business,” Sirisena said.

The former president further highlighted concerns over corruption and infiltration within law enforcement, and the need to safeguard accountability in Sri Lanka’s fight against narcotics. (Newswire)

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Nearly 302 kilos of narcotics seized in raids by the Police Narcotics Bureau are scheduled to be destroyed today, following the conclusion of related court proceedings.

The Balapitiya and Chilaw Magistrates’ Courts recently finalized cases connected to the raids, clearing the way for the disposal of the narcotics.

The haul includes 22.888 kilos of heroin, 33.172 kilos of Kerala cannabis, and 247.940 kilos of cannabis.

Earlier this morning, the Police Narcotics Disposal Division began transporting the stockpile stored at the Balapitiya Magistrate’s Court complex to the Lactowatta incinerator in Vanathavilluwa in Puttalam. (Newswire)

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Four suspects, including a foreign national, have been arrested for the possession of cocaine.

The Police said two suspects, aged 24 and 32 years, were arrested with 19 capsules of cocaine during an inspection of a car near the Pinnaduwa exit on the Southern Expressway on Tuesday.

The car travelling from Colombo was inspected by the Akmeemana Police on a tip-off from the Galle Harbour Police.

Investigations conducted by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) have found that a Sierra Leonean in Colpetty had handed over the cocaine to the suspect. 

The PNB officials had arrested the 52-year-old Sierra Leonean with 40 capsules of cocaine, USD 500, and other foreign currency in Borella, along with another 28-year-old suspect with 04.700 grams of cocaine. 

The Police Narcotics Bureau and Galle Harbour Police are conducting further investigations. (Newswire)

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Over 100 kilos of illegal narcotics seized by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) are set to be destroyed today (Dec 14) on the orders of the Colombo High Court. 

The Police said that PNB officials had seized 107 kilos of heroin and 1.104 kilos of drugs suspected to be heroin from nine suspects.

In October this year, the Colombo High Court sentenced the suspects to lifetime imprisonment, after they had pleaded guilty. 

The court had also issued an order to destroy the seized drugs at the Insee Cement Company in Puttalam today.

The Police Special Task Force (STF) has also been deployed to ensure the safe transfer of the contraband and security at the location. (NewsWire/ Image- file pic)

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Seven Policemen who were arrested over the custodial death of a Vocational Training Officer in January have been remanded until 23 June by the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court.

Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa stated that among those arrested are a Police Sub-Inspector, a Sargent and five constables attached to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB).

The Assistant Manager at the Vocational Training Authority in Narahenpita had been taken away by a group of Police officers while returning to work from a restaurant at lunchtime on 10th January 2023.

At the time, it was revealed that he had been taken away by PNB officials with regard to an investigation into a drug-related case.

The victim was reported dead with the authorities claiming that he had attempted to attack a Police officer with a broken glass bottle during interrogation. 

However, the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (6) ruled that the cause of death of the victim was Blunt Force Trauma.

While delivering the order on the postmortem, the Maligakanda Magistrate ordered the immediate arrest of those responsible for the death.

Following the court verdict, the seven PNB officers involved in the incident were apprehended today. (NewsWire)

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