18 Narcotic Bureau Officers arrested so far for operating drug trafficking ring

The court permitted the Criminal Investigations Department to detain and interrogate until the 14th of July, the 13th suspects in the case Police Contable Dinesh Nirmala - who was arrested by the CID in Ragama.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris appearing for the CID said it is also being revealed that a group of PNB officers arrested for drug trafficking had made contact with international drug traffickers in international waters and thereafter obtained drugs in bulk.

He said the drugs were securely placed in the residences and luxury vehicles of the arrested Police Narcotic Bureau officers, for trafficking purposes.

Investigations on the suspect police officers led to the discovery of an illegal firearm as well as international drug traffickers engage in the illegal arms trade in addition to trafficking drugs.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris said it is suspected the said firearms fall into the hands of criminals via the suspect police officers, adding a separate investigation is also underway.

Further 31 fake 5000 rupee notes were discovered from the possession of two police constables who are the 10th and 11th suspects in the case.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris said it is also suspected the officers were involved in the illegal printing of currency as well, adding an extensive investigation is underway.

It was revealed in court, 390 milligrams of cocaine was discovered from the private locker of the first suspect - an IP attached to the Police Narcotic Bureau and 12 grams of heroin, 04 grams of marijuana and several rounds of T-56 assault rifle ammunition were discovered from the possession of another suspect police officer.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris informed court, the suspect police officers had re-sold seized heroin in bulk back to the frug traffickers and conducted fake raids.

He went on to note the suspects had even received awards and letters of commendation from the Inspector General Police for drug raids while obtaining money from the Police Fund as well.

The Deputy Solicitor General highlighted the suspects had spent luxurious lives using the illegally generated money.

He said the 07th suspect and another suspect police officer had purchased two plots of land close to the Expressway in Kottawa at a cost of 17 Million Rupees.

18 Police Narcotic Bureau Officers were arrested for operating a drug trafficking ring and Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris said information is being received on several other officers also serving at the PNB.

He said the lack of supervision by the DIG in-charge of the Police Narcotic Bureau and its Director paved the way for the suspects to engage in trafficking drugs.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris stressed there is a suspicion as to whether the officers destroyed the seized drugs or if they trafficked drugs.

He pointed out the investigations are on a group of state officers who used their uniforms and powers to traffic drugs and conspired to do so adding it is not an investigation on individual drug traffickers such as Wele Suda.

ASP Meryll Ranjan Lamahewa who is supervising the investigation informed court the evidence storage of the Police Narcotic Burea was sealed by detectives after the OIC of the PNB informed him there were over 700 kilograms of heroin in the evidence storage.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate ordered the Government Analyst to investigate and produce a report to court to ascertain if the drugs were contaminated with another substance.

Detectives were also ordered by court to present facts separately on the charges filed against the 12 suspects.